10th Annual Chamber Cares Holiday Drive

Hosted by The Park Hills - Leadington Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Domino's Pizza.
 
This year's Chamber Cares Holiday Drive will benefit The Little Red Reader Bookshelf!

What We Are Collecting:

BOOKS!! Books for infants to teens! All ages, all genres! We are also accepting monetary donations for the construction of additional Little Red Reader Bookshelves if you prefer to contribute in that manner.
 

Introducing the Little Red Reader Bookshelf: Igniting the Love for Reading in Our Community

Inspired by the pressing need for early literacy in our communities, the Little Red Reader Bookshelf project was conceived. Through an extensive early childhood needs assessment, it became evident that fostering a love for reading from an early age is crucial for children's success in both school and life. Research consistently demonstrates that engaging children with books at a young age paves the way for a bright future.

The inception of this project was influenced by the remarkable success of the Little Blue Bookshelf project in Joplin. After reaching out to the director of that program, our minds started racing with ideas on how to bring a similar initiative to our area. With the support of dedicated community members, the Little Red Reader Bookshelf Project was born. Each of the bookshelves is painted a vibrant Fire Engine Red, symbolizing the passion and enthusiasm we aim to ignite in young readers.

Our mission is simple yet powerful ? to provide children with easy access to free, age-appropriate books. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to build their own "home library," where they can explore diverse worlds and embark on countless adventures through the pages of books. By encouraging families to select a book each month, we aim to nurture a lifelong love for reading and support the intellectual growth of our young ones.

Thanks to the unwavering support of our incredible community, we currently have three operational bookshelves, and we are thrilled to announce that enough materials have been generously donated to allow us to add five more bookshelves! Leading the way, the Farmington Kiwanis organization stepped up as the first sponsor, proudly housing their bookshelf at the St. Francois County Health Department. 

To ensure the sustainability and expansion of this project, we welcome other sponsors who can organize book drives or contribute funds towards the construction of additional bookshelves. We firmly believe that by rallying together, we can make a lasting impact on early literacy in our community and empower our children to dream big.

For more information on how you can join us in this noble cause, please reach out to Kimberly Weakley at 431-3173 or kweakley@farmington.k12.mo.us. Your support, in any capacity, will bring us closer to our shared goal of fostering a love for reading in our community's children.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following organizations whose unwavering support has made the Little Red Reader Bookshelf Project possible:

• Botkin Lumber
• Gifford Lumber
• St. Francois County Community Partnership
• Farmington Methodist Church
• St. Francois County United Way
• Life Inc.
• Parkland Early Childhood Community Leaders

In the words of Neil Gaiman, "A book is a dream that you hold in your hand." Let us come together and help the children in our community hold their dreams in their hands, cultivating a profound love for reading and empowering them to make their dreams a reality.

Collection Dates:

Drop off donations to the Chamber Office or any participating Collection Site beginning November 1, 2023, through December 8, 2023.

Collection Sites Include:

• Park Hills - Leadington Chamber of Commerce, 12 Municipal Drive, Park Hills
• See the full list of other collection sites below!