Rotary Club donates books to 3 local libraries      

by Ariel Carmona Jr.

August 2005

Walnut- The Walnut Valley Rotary Club donated a six book set of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series as well as J.R.R. Tolkien’s popular “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy to a trio of local libraries during its most recent meeting at Millie’s Restaurant at the corner of Valley Blvd, and Grand Avenue on August 16.

“We are very excited about the donations because obviously these are very popular books,” said Diamond Bar’s Community Library Manager Irene Wang. The sentiment was echoed by Julie McCasland, Diamond bar library’s children’s librarian who represented her city’s branch at the meeting and who said the library has been out of books featuring the fictional boy wizard ever since his new book was released earlier this summer. Also in attendance were representatives for the Rowland Heights Public Library and the city of Walnut’s branch.

“I’d like to say children are getting back into reading, we just finished our summer reading program and we had about 390 to 400 children signed up. Reading helps with their education and it translates to an easier time in school and it helps their imagination while making them more creative,” McCasland said while pointing out her library has many diverse services for children and is also expanding their section of teen novels for High School aged youngsters.

Also attending were Rotary District 5300 Governor Stewart Anderson, who was currently on a tour visiting six local clubs, and Marci Denton, Corporate and Education Sales Representative for Border’s in Puente Hills, who according to the club, has assisted them greatly in their recent literacy efforts.

 “The new Harry Potter has smashed all records across the board. I think it is so popular because it appeals on such a broad spectrum,” said Denton, who added that for the release of the new book, Border’s had as many older people as they had kids waiting to purchase a copy.

Denton said Border’s has been involved in literacy campaigns for a long time, raising money for the CARE program and fighting hunger through education and literacy around the world.  

“The Potter books have brought a lot of people to reading which is good. If you start children off young, they can learn at an early age to curl up with a good book,” said club member Joseph McManus.

“The youth is our future and your club has made an investment which will pay off in the future,” Anderson told the members gathered at the meeting who were also celebrating the rotary club’s 13^th birthday. He said the district asked all the clubs to donate 5300 books to go back into the communities and local schools. Anderson also said the Walnut Valley club, whose motto is “service above self,” has already collected more than 1,500 books over the past six weeks with the help of his wife Diane and Lois McManus, co-chair of the literacy program. He said the various clubs throughout the country are involved in tutoring, reading programs and donating books overseas in Afghanistan.

Anderson, who is a Victorville resident and a retired J.C. Penney Associate has been a Rotarian since 1988 while in the Hemet California club and was also in the Palm Desert club.

HOME