As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, Frederick Douglass' words ring true today - "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."
AmeriCorps VISTAs, along with the Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, are working on a Book Drive for families without books. In order to have the most successful book drive possible, we are seeking the following:
1. Asking Community Businesses/Organizations to provide advertising in the following ways: Post a Book Drive poster, share our Book Drive information in your newsletter and/or assist in advertising our Book Drive on your marquee entitled "Give BOOKS! January 20 - February 20 Book Drive".
2. Asking individuals to host a "Mini Book Drive" at work, school and/or church. We need readers for "Story Times" at the Kennedy Mall on Tuesdays from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 5:30 to 6:00 p.m., as well as readers/helpers with activities on Saturdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. We also need help in sorting, labeling and delivering books for Read Across America Day!
Between the dates of Tuesday, January 20th through Friday, February 20th, books for all ages will be accepted at the following locations: American Trust & Savings Bank (all Dubuque locations), City of Dubuque Leisure Services Department at 2200 Bunker Hill Road, Dubuque Community School District at 2300 Chaney Road, Hy-Vee Food Store (all Dubuque locations), Kennedy Mall, Kwik Stop/DQ/Fazioli's (all Dubuque locations), Multicultural Family Center, Roshek building, St. Vincent DePaul (downtown location), United Way and the YMCA/YWCA.
Many thanks for your time and consideration in helping get books into all our homes in the Dubuque community! Check out www.readdbq.org/2014/10/23/statisticks-lottery/ for more on why books in homes are so important.
For additional information, please contact Stacy Seyer at the Leisure Services Department at 563-690-6048 or email at sseyer@cityofdubuque.org OR contact Olivia Visio at the Dubuque Community School District at 563-552-3069 or email at ovisio@dbqschools.org.