CLG obtains free books for 900 students
May 17, 2010
Wentzville
Students at Heritage Primary school received free books during a series of recent literary assemblies, thanks to the efforts of Camie’s Literacy Group (CLG).
Students in kindergarten through second grade listened to stories read by their principals and learned about the importance of becoming good readers. After the assemblies each of the nearly 900 students were given a book of their own to take home.
Titles included “Duck on a Bike” by David Shannon and “Diary of a Worm” by Doreen Cronin.
CLG is the brainchild of Faith Gardner, a diagnostician for the Wentzville School District. Gardner started the group last fall after witnessing how much her granddaughter (Camie) loved reading, and realizing that many children may not have access to age-appropriate books at home.
With the help of her sisters Brenda and Bev and a host of volunteers, Camie’s Literacy Group was born and the fundraising efforts began.
CLG’s mission, according to its website, is to “encourage the love of reading books in young children. To this aim we dedicate ourselves to the goal of obtaining and distributing an appropriate new book to those most in need. Our greatest hope is that every child will have a new book to call their own.”
The group’s fundraising efforts have included a garage sale, gift wrapping at a mall over the holidays, a 24-hour read-a-thon, and a very successful trivia night event. CLG worked through the Scholastics Literacy Partnership which enabled them to purchase the books for Heritage students at a sizable discount and with no shipping charges. In addition, CLG enlisted the help of the St. Charles City-County Library District which donated a bag of 3 books for each of the kindergarten students at Heritage Primary, enabling CLG to utilize their funds to buy the books for the first and second graders.
Gardner said it is her hope in the near future to provide books every year for K-2 students in each of the District’s elementary schools. Eventually she would like to see the group expand beyond the Wentzville School District and provide books for students across the county.
“It will definitely take some help from the community and school personnel,” said Gardner, “Although I know we have a lot of very generous people in our district and community that would be very willing to give of their time and money to help promote literacy in our next generation.”
For more information about how you can help or if you would like to attend their next trivia night on October 9, 2010, please visit www.camiesliteracygroup.weebly.com.
From the Wentzville School District
Copyright 2010 Neighbors About Town
