Volunteer Emma Cork, 15, of Elgin unloads a box of books from the back of the U-46 Book Bus Thursday to be sorted and organized. The bus made a stop at McKinley Elementary School in Elgin. Emma has been volunteering at the bus since it visited her school two years ago.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
The U-46 Book Bus made a visit to McKinley Elementary School in Elgin Thursday. The Book Bus is a mobile giveaway book exchange for Elgin Area School U-46 students to get books, give books, and trade books.
The U-46 Transportation Department, bus drivers and members of the District U-46 Transportation Union (DUTU) sponsor the event.
Bus driver Paulette Walsh estimates there could be almost 5,000 books on the bus, which is only used for the program. There's something for every age group and kids can take as many as they like.
Frankie Lopez, 9, and friend Brian Hurtado, 12, just happened to be walking past the school and ended up walking off with some new books for their home libraries. Neither had seen the bus before.
Volunteer Emma Cork, 15, of Elgin has been helping with the program the past two years since the bus visited her school.
"I really love books. Books have been a comfort and a joy throughout my life. Why not put that into helping others?" she said with a smile.
To see where the Book Bus will be next, visit facebook.com/SchoolDistrictU46.
Frankie Lopez, 9, of Elgin browses through selections on the U-46 Book Bus Thursday at McKinley Elementary School in Elgin Thursday. Frankie will attend the school in the fall. He and friend Brian Hurtado, 12, just happened to be walking past the school, saw the bus and decided to check it out. It was the first visit for both students.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Children walk to the U-46 Book Bus Thursday at McKinley Elementary School in Elgin.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
U-46 Book Bus volunteers Emma Cork, left, of Elgin, and Meghan Walsh of South Elgin organize several boxes of books dropped off for the bus Thursday morning while at McKinley Elementary School in Elgin. Meghan is the daughter of Paulette Walsh, a U-46 bus driver who helps organize and run the Book Bus program.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com