Elgin readers’ support much appreciated

Thank you, friends of literacy; your support of the Community of Readers program has brought the “sweet serenity of books” to children of Elgin Area School District U-46. Our mission over the last 10 years was to promote individual and family reading by providing home reading materials for families who may not have the resources to do so themselves.

The Community of Readers partnership between First Community Bank and District U-46 will end in February. United Way of Elgin and Bernie’s Book Bank have developed partnerships that continue to distribute books to area families and organizations.

You have helped place more than 45,000 books with the following agencies that serve U-46 families: Elgin Child and Family Resource Center Larkin Center, Boys and Girls Club of Elgin, Community Crisis Center, YWCA of Elgin, Well Child Center, Centro de Informacion, CASA Kane County, Renz Addiction Counseling Center, The Literacy Connection, Two Rivers Head Start, Food for Greater Elgin, PADS of Elgin, Hanover Township Youth & Family Services, Greater Elgin Family Care Center. These not-for-profit organizations distributed new and gently read books to families who could not afford to provide their children with home reading materials, while maintaining the recipient’s privacy and dignity.

In addition, it is appropriate to acknowledge the following: First Community Bank, U-46 Educational Foundation, Gail Borden Public Library, Honorary Chairmen: Rick and Sharon Jakle, Mike and Carol Kenyon, Guy and Patti Kaplowitz, Terry and Pat Dunning, Tom and Sue Rakow, Bill and Sue Moylan.

Community of Readers Ensemble: Karen Fox, Sylvia Grady, Linda Danner, Elizabeth Achenbach, Lori Brandes, Lucy Elliott, Cheryl Frandsen, Patricia Steffen, Judi Brownfield and Amy Kerber.

And 200 organizations, schools, businesses, donors and volunteers who offered both monetary and in-kind support.

Karen L. DeBack

Elgin Community

of Readers