This year Twin Rivers Lions Club is successfully partnering with the children’s charity 123 READ 2 ME to distribute children’s books through the 123 READ 2 ME program.
The club is pleased to note that for the past two years it has 100 per cent sourced the books locally and continues assisting children and families at local schools, kindergartens and daycare centres, as well as fulfilling requests for children’s books for some of the school/kinger libraries across East Gippsland.
The club is also excited to receive visits from retired or former kindergarten and primary school teachers who are donating some of their unwanted gently used educational resources, which it is happy to pass on to local teachers.
“Our public collection bin is located at Schoolworks Bairnsdale, where families, groups, and local authors contribute supplies for us to gather,” club president Peter Payne said.
“Charlotte provides this wonderful service and we always enjoy stopping by for a cup of tea while collecting the book donations.
“Additionally, we have received phone calls from schools and organisations with boxes of children’s books ready for us to pick up, along with many families who visit our community shed on Tuesdays and during the Book Fair to donate their unwanted children’s books.
“This community project has been well-received and is greatly valued, as we see children’s books being redistributed throughout East Gippsland. In excess of 10,000 as-new children’s books are received, processed and delivered annually.”
The Swan Reach Community Book Exchange is thriving with many books being swapped every Tuesday, along with a variety of surplus novels being regularly donated.
“Our regular visitors truly appreciate the community’s generosity, which makes this local initiative possible,” Peter said.
“Some of our local caravan parks swap some of their books to freshen up their caravan park book exchange located in a public location within their park.
If you have any ideas of other businesses or organisations that would enjoy some freshening up of their own book exchanges please invite them to contact us by email, phone or visit.”
The annual Book and Craft Fair at the Swan Reach Recreation Reserve will be held on Sunday, November 17, from 9am to 3pm.
A portion of the proceeds from this fair will help cover the ongoing operational, travel, and other costs associated with maintaining this important children’s project.
