Westwind Media Specialist Angela Howard was approached last May by Oliver Harrigan at 2nd and Charles about being the recipient of their annual book drive. She said she was able to fill out a form with the types of books that her library needed and 2nd and Charles took it from there.
“When customers were paying for their own purchases, employees would ask if they would like to purchase a book to help fill the library at Westwind Elementary,” Howard said. “Customers could then pick a book and donate it to the book drive.”
Howard explained that at the conclusion of the book drive, 2nd and Charles customers had donated over 430 books, an almost $3,000 value!
“It was an honor and a pleasure to work with Harrigan and 2nd and Charles,” Howard said. “Harrigan showed me, as well as taught our school, that 2nd and Charles is definitely interested in investing in children through books and the love of reading. It was because of all the people in our community that this book drive was such a success and the generosity of the people of Lubbock was overwhelming. Because the people in the community are so giving, it inspires businesses like 2nd and Charles to give even more.”
Howard said that the book drive impacted her library in many ways.
“Harrigan and her team at 2nd and Charles made an incredible investment in the lives of the students at Westwind,” Howard said. “They handpicked quality books that would inspire the love and joy of reading in every child. They even unknowingly selected books that were missing from some of our series making several of our series complete again.”
Howard even recalled how this gesture from 2nd and Charles has made an immediate impression on Westwind students.
“Wednesday of this week was International Dot Day, which is inspired by a book called ‘The Dot’ by Peter H. Reynolds,” Howard said. “This book talks about how each person can make a mark, a difference, in other people’s lives. When the students saw the carts full of books front and back, and the boxes of books that didn’t fit on the cart, and knew that all this was a gift from 2nd and Charles. They noticed that 2nd and Charles is making a ‘mark’ on our school. The students were super excited about every single book and can hardly wait to begin checking them out.”