BREAKING NEWS: Released January 22, 2012. Another local bookseller closed its doors, but it didn’t leave local children empty-handed, donating 10,000 books to K is for Kids.
The local teen driven volunteer-based nonprofit organization in Naples promotes children’s literacy by donating books to children in need. The Foundation will be distributing the books to children and youth throughout Collier and south Lee counties.
Lauren Pastrana, news reporter for WINK TV News, was on hand as the store’s books shelves were emptied and volunteers scrambled to pack boxes for the 10,000 donated books. Click here to see the news story featured on WINK-TV: WINK TV News – Local Bookseller Donates 10,000 Books to K is for Kids or click on the arrow to watch the video now.
WINK-TV Reporter Lauren Pastrana Speaks to manager of The Book Warehouse Vivian Hadding about the closing of its store at Miromar Outlets in Estero.
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Thousands of books to be removed from the shelves, packed up and moved by K is for Kids Foundation.
But along with the big catch came another catch, said K is for Kids’ executive director Karen D. Clawson. “As thrilled as we were to receive such an amazing donation, moving a mountain of books is no easy feat for our student volunteer-based organization. Plus, we had three days to get the boxes, truck and warehouse storage rooms needed.
Thankfully, Cypress Self Storage in Naples donated air conditioned storage rooms so our teen volunteers will have time to organize the books for distribution.
We faced the challenge of having enough manpower to pack and move the books because our primary volunteers are teenagers who would still be in high school on the day of the move. Members of the Northside Kiwanis Club came to our rescue and providing a truck large enough to haul the books.
AMI-Kids youth volunteer selects a book to take home and keep. Volunteers for K is for Kids always get to select a new book to take home and keep.
The AMI-Kids of Ft. Myers Beach sent us their students to help, too.
Students from AMI-Kids, Ft. Myers Beach volunteered to help pack up the books.
Several of our students from Collier County high schools, Naples High, Barron Collier and Gulf Coast; local colleges also helped after school to unload the books and get them into the warehouse.
Northside Kiwanis of Naples’ Tim Tuttle and sons (on his left and right) helped K is for Kids Foundation move 10,000 books donated from The Book Warehouse. Students from area high schools and colleges also helped move the mountain of books into their new home at Cypress Self Storage.
Now we need a small workforce to organize the books and get them ready for distribution!”
To help K is for Kids, email [email protected] or call (239) 596-KIDS (5437).