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Book Drive Helps Students

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By JOHN CEBALLOS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 15, 2007

BRANDON - Barnes & Noble has donated millions of books to organizations as part of its annual Holiday Book Drive over the past decade.

This year, the Redlands Christian Migrant Association will get in on the act for the first time. Books donated at the Brandon Barnes & Noble, 122 Brandon Town Center Drive, will go to the migrant group.

"We buy a lot of books from them and a lot of our kids have participated in their reading programs," said Heather Hanson, resource teacher and media specialist for the school. "They've told us our kids were some of the best behaved and they invited us to take part in their program."

During the book drive, which will continue through Jan. 1, customers can purchase books for donation at any Barnes & Noble.

Select titles are featured as part of each store's Holiday Book Drive display, but customers also can donate money.

In addition to the migrant group, other organizations benefiting from the drive include the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the United Way and the YMCA.

Hanson said more than 1,500 books have been donated at the Brandon store.

"That number has surpassed our expectations and we're very excited," Hanson said. "There are still a few weeks left to go even higher."

To support the program, John Dinkle, president of the Redlands migrant group, led a story time Dec. 7. His audience was made up of 17 students from the migrant group's academy in Wimauma.

"It's such a good program - one of our most popular- and the kids really seem to enjoy it," said Kim Fields, children's department manager at the Brandon store.
Dinkle read "Tomás and the Library Lady" by Pat Mora, which deals with the importance of reading and features a protagonist who grew up in a migrant family.

"The book drive has been a success this year, and mostly I'm just really happy for the kids," Hanson said. "They're terrific, and they have definitely earned this."

Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at (813) 865-1555 or jceballos@tampatrib.com.

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