Reagan High School Honor Society is again proving to be a valuable partner to Book Buddies, having started the year by agreeing to help at many sorting sessions. On Saturday, September 22, they backed that up by working like beavers to help reduce the pile of unsorted books that have come in since our Book Celebrations in May. In all, they finished sorting, boxing, and labeling 22 boxes — all ready for next spring’s giveaway in San Antonio’s most at-risk schools. Thank you RHS!

The books are starting to arrive from book drives and some of our longstanding donors (thank you Al Koppen and Half-Price Books!), but we need help accelerating the process. Please consider running a book drive with your friends. If you interact with other human beings, you have the beginnings of a drive. Any group can donate gently-used children’s books and ask their friends and relatives to do the same: Voila! A successful Book Buddies book drive. If you need advice getting organized, posters, or pickup for the collected books, email us at bookbuddies@saylonline.wpengine.com.

An email appeal will be going out soon for volunteers to sort and box books at Book Buddies World Headquarters. Most sessions are on Saturday mornings from 10am to 12pm, but some will be weekday evenings. Please be ready to sign up at the link provided in our email. If you have a large enough group that would like to volunteer together, you can have your very own time! Let us know what day and time would be convenient for your group and how many people you expect. We’ll arrange a special session.  This has worked very well in the past for some service organizations and employee groups who want to do a day of service.

As always, Book Buddies needs money for supplies and other expenses of operation. As we get into the season of giving, please consider a donation to keep us able to provide books to thousands of at-risk kids again this year. Please be sure to designate the gift to “Book Buddies” and send it to San Antonio Youth Literacy, 1616 E. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX, 78205. Thank you!

Jane Welch, Book Buddies Coordinator