Free reads kick off at Northern Lights

What are sturdy, blue and read all over? A dozen little blue bookshelves, filled with free books for children ages birth through fourth grade.

The Little Blue Bookshelf program officially opens its first bookshelf Monday during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at Northern Lights Elementary School. How soon the others go up depends on community members.

“We would like to have each bookshelf sponsored by an individual, group and/or organization,” said Nancy Senn, a member of the Douglas County Leadership Team that is heading up the program. For example, the Duluth Junior Women’s Club has stepped up to care for shelves at the Superior-Douglas County YMCA and the Lake Superior Community Health Center. Sponsors will keep an eye on their shelves and work with the leadership group to restock them as needed, Senn said.

The leadership team has been collecting books since November at various sites around Superior. The donations have been stored and age-coded at the United Way of Superior-Douglas County office. Now, they’re ready for little hands to hold.

Everyone is invited to Monday’s celebration at Northern Lights, which kicks off at 1:30 p.m. Students will read their winning essays and unveil their winning artwork based on King’s challenge: “What are you doing for others?”

The event caps off a day of reading in which volunteers will share books about King with students in all 36 classrooms.

Donated books continue to be accepted at Bryant Elementary School, all Enbridge locations, Culver’s, Trends Salon and Spa, Superior Choice Credit Union, BMO Harris Bank, Superior Water Light & Power, Cathedral of Christ the King Church, Cathedral School, Superior Telegram, Super One Foods on Oakes Avenue, and the Yellowjacket Union, Swenson Hall, Old Main and Jim Dan Hill Library at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Possible other sites for bookshelves include Superior Housing Authority, the Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse, Harbor House Crisis Shelters, Cathedral of Christ the King Church, Bartley Manor/Woodland Way, Linden and Aspen Courts, Essentia Health and Mariner Medical Clinic.

More information about the Little Blue Bookshelf project is available at https://sites.google.com/site/littlebluebookshelf or contact Jessica Poskozim at 715-392-8511 or jessica@superiorcathedral.org.

Tags: news, superior, schools, education