Rotary Club of Wilmette Collects 20,400 Books For Chgo Schools

Echoing last year’s record, The Rotary Club of Wilmette collected about 20,400 books to help inner-city students perform better and love reading. Over 16 years, Rotary delivered nearly 150,000 books to grateful Chicago students.

The Rotary Club of Wilmette’s Big Book Drive collects thousands of children’s, library and reference books from schools and libraries every year and the club gratefully thanks them. Books come from Wilmette District 39 elementary schools, local public and private high schools, the Wilmette, Winnetka/Northfield, Northbrook, Glenview and Skokie Public Libraries, and private individual donations. Like past years, Office Depot on Green Bay Road donates hundreds of new bank-box cartons. And Jack Flynn funds the trucks and donates money.

All books were just delivered to Catalyst Charter Schools K-12 in Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood. They serve 1,600 inner-city students and make literacy a major priority. Rotary Book Drive Chair Maurice Sullivan notes a correlation between these thousands of donated books and increased student reading levels.

The Rotary Club of Wilmette is 95 years old and meets noon Wednesdays at the Wilmette Golf Club. For information, check www.wilmetterotary.org or Facebook: Rotary Club of Wilmette.

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