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Maitland, FL--Reading is fundamental, but it takes books to read. A majority of local elementary school students don't own even one age-appropriate book of their own.
To help change that by making more books available, the Bright Kids Book Drive is seeking new and gently-used books during the month of March. Books collected through the drive will be distributed to students in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties through the A Gift For Teaching program.
For the second year in a row, Bright House Networks and Central Florida News 13 are major sponsors of the A Gift For Teaching Bright Kids Book Drive, which last year brought in nearly 40,000 books for students.
This year's collection goal is 75,000 books, to be contributed through a number of corporate book collection drives as well as individual donors in the community.
As last year, Bright House Networks Customer Payment Centers in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties will serve as dropoff sites for new and gently used books contributed for the drive:
Bright House Networks payment centers where dropoffs are located:
- Orlando, 3767 All American Boulevard
- South Orlando, 4733 S. Orange Ave.
- East Orange County, 10376 E. Colonial Dr.
- West Orange County, Ocoee, 844 Maguire Rd.
- Osceola County, Kissimmee, 301 Church St.
- Seminole County, Altamonte Springs, 911 N. State Road 434
- Sanford, 100 Gordon St.
Bright House Networks and Central Florida News 13 will also be hosting a two-hour Bright Kids Book-A-Thon from 6 to 8 p.m. March 28, 2007, on Bright House Networks Channel 21.
The event will feature live entertainment from a variety of groups and individuals, as well as participation by community leaders, professional athletes, educators, celebrities and entertainers to raise awareness of the cause, and the need to donate new and gently-used books.
To find out how to hold a Bright Kids Book Drive, or to find out how to contribute books or money (which will be used to buy books) to the campaign, contact Lacey Heftka at 407/345-0515 ext 238 or lacey@agiftforteaching.org. Or, visit www.agiftforteaching.org.
A Gift For Teaching is a Central Florida non-profit organization that serves 318 public schools in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. A Free Store in Orlando and its satellite store in Osceola County are funded by and stocked by local individuals and companies. To date, more than $25 million worth of school supplies, including essential classroom tools such as pencils, notebooks, glue, backpacks, art supplies, and books have been distributed to local students in need.
For more information please visit: A gift for teaching.
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