By Staff
Think how many lives could be touched.
Rachel Patterson Elementary Principal Beth Drew made that statement when she was discussing a reading initiative she's starting at her school.
Drew is giving the community the opportunity to help put a book in the hands of every child at the school.
What appeals to us most about this project is that Drew and her staff are asking for more than money. They're asking for a personal touch.
Buy a book for the school and write a personal note inside. Maybe you would like to honor a former teacher or a current teacher or your granddaughter who attended the school or anyone else connected with the school. Write a note inside and tell the students who will hold that book what that book represents in your life.
Maybe you would like to buy a book simply because you love books yourself. You know how far you can soar with a book in your hands. Now you can help a child discover that world too.
It's sometimes easier to write a check for a particular project. But if you're one of those people who thinks more money is not always the solution, this is your chance to get involved on a personal level.
As a newspaper staff, we see the need to have readers in our community. We're not necessarily looking for a generation of potential customers, but we do realize the importance of reading in a community – on every level of the community.
You would cringe if you knew how many business people have told us they have job applicants who can't complete a job application. And all too often, this is the rule, not the exception.
It all starts with reading. And it all starts at a young age.
We agree with Beth Drew. Think how many lives could be touched.