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Columbia MO, USA – August 12th, 2014 /PressCable/ —
The Sunrise Southwest Rotary Club of Columbia, MO has just installed its first Little Free Library in the laundromat of the Columbia Housing Authority's Bear Creek Family Townhomes area. The Library, which was built by members Mike Morris, Sean McCollegan and Don Ladd, and supplied with books donated by club members, has six shelves that hold dozens of books for children of all ages. It is completely free for area residents to use; nearby families are simply asked to adhere to the “Take a Book – Return a Book” principle of The Little Free Library.
Columbia's Sunrise Southwest Rotary Club got involved in this community service project for several reasons; commitment to Rotary International's goal of supporting basic education and literacy, and personal interest on the part of local Rotary club members. Member Diana Ratliff, an avid reader herself, brought the idea to the Community Service Committee of Sunrise Southwest Rotary, headed by member Tony Spicci. Committee members loved the concept.
Says Spicci: “Our Rotary club had been looking for another community service project to support literacy. We partner with and mentor in several Columbia schools, but this was something directed at younger children. It's also a great tie-in to Rotary in that one of the founders of The Little Free Library, Todd Bol, is also a Rotarian. We really hope the children in this part of town enjoy the great books that members donated and we plan to open several more libraries.”
Director of Resident Services for CHA Becky Markt added, “We know that reading with your child, even just a few minutes a day, can help kids do better in school, and for the rest of their lives. All kids deserve that chance. Rotary has just given that to the children here.”
Ratliff appears in the video here, describing the purpose of the Rotary Little Free Library Project and the history of the organization: http://youtu.be/5TwDDqAm6sw
Rotary International is a service organization founded on the principle of “Service Above Self.” To learn more about Columbia Sunrise Southwest Rotary, one of five Columbia Rotary Clubs and a member of Rotary District 6080, visit their website:
http://www.SunriseSouthwestRotary.org
Contact Info:
Name: Diana Ratliff, Public Relations Chair
Organization: Columbia Sunrise Southwest Rotary
Website: http://www.sunrisesouthwestrotary.org
Phone: 573.289.7376
Address: 5550 S Hwy 63 Columbia, MO 65202
Release ID: 58933