The sensation of reading, of being able to escape reality and enter a land of whimsy, is like no other. All Wildcat readers, no matter what genres they prefer, can acknowledge how fortunate we are to have access to countless books, thanks to the diligence of our librarians. However, not everyone is as privileged as we are, which is why the Freshman Student Council, in collaboration with Aahana Chawla, is hosting a book drive from November 10-14.
Always recognizing the importance of supplying impoverished children with books, Chawla and her brother recently formed Hope Through Books, a non-profit organization dedicated to hosting book drives. They were quickly able to expand into Hope For Youth, which organizes drives of all kinds, from books to hygiene products.
In an interview with Chawla, she commented on how “they were eager to create the organization, because they wanted to find a way to help out underprivileged children, who can’t afford books on their own.”
So far, they have been able to place boxes in a multitude of areas, like Goldfish Swim School, Crone, their local YMCA, and a few others. Hope For Youth’s goal to raise 600 books may seem like a lofty target, but they are well on their way to achieving it.
So, what role does Neuqua play in all of this? Our freshman class of over 700 students could easily raise enough books to exceed Hope For Youth’s ambitions. This is why the student council has placed a goal of raising 500+ books for this noble cause. For all bringing books, the donation box will be placed in the Birkett Freshman Center’s library. These books can be in any condition, from new to slightly used, and from any age group K-12.
When the book drive has ended, and the goal of raising 500 books has been reached, where will the books go?
“So far, we are donating the books to Hamline Elementary School; however, we hope to expand our reach, and donate to many more schools as well,” said Chawla. Hope For Youth hopes to broaden its impact in the community in coming months, and this book drive will have a huge influence on that.
The student council has put an abundant amount of effort into the book drive, from planning to decorating. Their confidence in the student body’s ability to achieve, or even surpass, the seemingly unfeasible goal of raising 500+ books goes unmatched. Wildcats are an empathetic, goal-oriented, and benevolent sort. So, if you have any extra books lying around that you no longer need or want, stop by the BFC Library! A thoroughly decorated box awaits the residence of a large quantity of books, and even just one book donated brings the student council and Hope For Youth one book closer to an attainable goal.
