Rotary Club of Wilmette Collects 22,000 Books For Inner-City Schools

WILMETTE, Ill., Dec. 5, 2016 – Setting a campaign record, The Rotary Club of Wilmette collected 22,000 books to help inner-city students perform better and love reading. Over 13 years, Rotary delivered about 100,000 books to grateful Chicago students.

The Rotary Club of Wilmette’s Big Book Drive collects thousands of children’s, school and reference books from schools and libraries every year and the club gratefully thanks them. Books come from McKenzie, Romona, Harper and Central Schools, Highcrest, Wilmette Junior High and Marie Murphy School – all in Wilmette -- and St. Joseph and St. Athanasius Catholic schools. Participating high schools are New Trier, Regina Dominican and Loyola Academy. Generous book donations also come from public libraries in Wilmette, Skokie, Niles, Glenview, Skokie and Winnetka/Northfield. Office Depot on Green Bay Road donated 550 new bank-box cartons.

All books will be donated to Catalyst Charter Schools K-12 in Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood. They enroll 1,600 students and make literacy their main priority with reading scores steadily improving because of heavy instruction and tutoring.

Rotary Book Drive Chair Maurice Sullivan says: “Our Big Book Drive helps inner-city schools advance reading and helps their students perform better, gain reading levels, stay in school and aim for college.”

The Rotary Club of Wilmette is 92 years old and meets noon Wednesdays at McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant in Old Orchard. For information, check www.wilmetterotary.org or Facebook: Rotary Club of Wilmette.

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Photo Caption: Rotary Club of Wilmette members and friends collected, sorted and packaged more than 22,000 books for Chicago’s inner-city schools. Pictured from left are Linda Strand, Jean Peters, Jim Hardee, John Held, Marv Daniels and Maurice Sullivan. Other volunteers are Arnie Klein, Nick Dallas, John Flanagin, Frank Candioto, Mary Ellen Fitzsimmonds, Don Olson, John Dyrud, Laurie Carter, Debbie Stacey, Jack Flynn, Marlene Brill and Ken Bowers.

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