THIS IDAHO SCHOOL NEEDS YOUR HELP! PLEASE READ THIS POST!

I received this email from a friend in Idaho this morning, and it made me want to help too. I am asking for your help in any way you can provide it. We can all do so much when we all work together. Please help!! ---Carol
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I will try to be clear and concise in the following explanation. I am so appalled, it will be difficult.

Yesterday, I went to a little rural school down the road to help my neighbor with a volunteer project for the afternoon. We spent the afternoon ripping pages from a workbook (at $50 per workbook) of pages meant to teach beginning reading. We stapled these little reading booklets together, ranging from two to eight pages each.

I asked the librarian how this worked. These little reading booklets are meant to be sent home with the children so they can practice reading with their parents. But, this school has such a tight budget; these little booklets have to be used at school for reading. The booklets must be used over and over for several years, until they are too tattered to use anymore.

On further questioning, I was told that their set of encyclopedias is from 1994. Yes, World Book is on DVD and it is on line and they do have a couple of computers but they really need the actual books for the children to use, too.

I asked the librarian to show me her wish list of books. (It seems to me to be a fairly paltry list of books (for 50 children) that she has been worrying over but I can't buy them all myself right now.) I have cobbled the list together below (their copy machine was tired, too). [I had to edit the list in order to make this post, but the information in Sheryl's letter should give you a good idea of what they need--Carol ]

Since the 2006 Set of World Book Encyclopedias is out, the 2005 set is only $549 now. They would love to have the 2005 set. I also checked eBay and found a couple of 2002 sets for about $325 (2002 is an improvement over 1994).

My request is this: Can anyone help? Or can your company help? Or do you know someone else that can help? One book, ten books, a set of encyclopedias? No need to reply to me (unless you want to tell me not to ask you about this any more). I have included school info below. Ship directly to the school, attention the librarian. Print off your online store invoice to use for your tax deduction.

These are really dedicated teachers doing their very best with what they have. It is a lovely little school in a nice town that had its main source of income close down a few years ago. In case you are wondering, it is too far to bus the little kids to a bigger school (especially in bad weather).

As I looked around this school library, I could not help but think of the peril facing our country in a future where the rest of the world is better educated and not particularly friendly to the USA. Thanks for listening. As always, Sheryl [Sheryl is not the Cheryl below-C]

Pierce Elementary School
Attention: Cheryl Stenzel
HC 64, Box 52
Pierce, ID 83546
208 464-2551

www.ebay.com

www.store.worldbook.com (also free shipping)

www.barnesandnoble.com and Pierce Elem. School donations" through Amazon www.amazon.com .

Both have these Boxcar Children Books. They also have many of the I Can Read" Books. Both web sites offer free shipping for orders over $25.

A Present for Grandfather (The Boxcar Children Series: Adventures of Benny and Watch #2), Created by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Daniel M. Duffy (Illustrator), Daniel Mark Duffy (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 080756625XOur Price: $3.95

Meet the Boxcar Children: (The Boxcar Children Series: Adventures of Benny and Watch #1)Created by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Daniel Mark Duffy (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807550345Our Price: $3.95

Benny's New Friend: (The Boxcar Children Series: Adventures of Benny and Watch #3), Created by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Daniel Mark Duffy (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807506494Our Price: $3.95

The Magic Show Mystery (The Boxcar Children Series: Adventures of Benny and Watch #4)Gertrude Chandler Warner, Daniel Mark Duffy (Illustrator), Created by Gertrude Chandler WarnerPaperbackISBN: 0807549398Our Price: $3.95

Benny Goes into Business: (The Boxcar Children Series: Adventures of Benny and Watch #5)Created by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Daniel Mark Duffy (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807506370Our Price: $3.95

Watch Runs Away (The Boxcar Children Series: Adventures of Benny and Watch #6)Gertrude Chandler Warner, Daniel M. Duffy (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807586811Our Price: $3.95

Secret under the Tree, Gertrude Chandler Chandler Warner, Kay Life (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807506435Our Price: $3.95

Benny's Saturday Surprise, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Kay Life (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807506427Our Price: $3.95

Sam Makes Trouble, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Kay Life (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 080750646XOur Price: $3.95

Watch, the Superdog!,
Gertrude Chandler Warner, Kay Life (Illustrator)PaperbackISBN: 0807506478Our Price: $3.95