READ TO ME

MY STORY

I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH LOVING PARENTS THAT ALWAYS TOOK TIME TO READ TO ME AND MODEL THEIR LOVE FOR LITERATURE BY HAVING A BOOK IN THEIR HANDS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.  WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CREATE A LIBRARY AT THE KNOXVILLE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER. THIS EXPERIENCE SPARKED AN EXTERNAL SELF AWARENESS THAT LITERACY IS A CRUCIAL PART OF A CHILD'S LEARNING, GROWTH AND AN INHERENT NEED OF EVERY CHILD TO A BOOK. I HAVE SINCE WANTED TO SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE VALUE AND LACK OF EXPOSURE FOR EVERY CHILD AS WELL. MY NEXT PROJECT WOULD BE TO CREATE A LITTLE LENDING LIBRARY IN A MORE CHALLENGED SOCIOECONOMIC AREA THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH ACCESS TO BOOKS. 

I HAVE WORKED WITH GOVERNORS LEE AND HASLAM'S WIFE AND DONATED BOOKS TO THEIR READING PROGRAMS. WITH MY AMBITION TO SPREAD THE NECESSITY AND LOVE OF LITERATURE, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND IT EVEN MORE THROUGH MY GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT. I DECIDED TO CREATE BOOK CHRISTMAS TREES MADE ENTIRELY OUT OF BOOKS, SPECIFICALLY IMAGINATION LIBRARY BOOKS. THIS WOULD THEN FURTHER FOSTER DOLLY PARTON'S DREAM AND SURPRISINGLY I FOUND THAT FAMILIES WITH MULTIPLE YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE HOME HAD DUPLICATE BOOKS WITH MANY UNOPENED. SO, MY PROJECT WOULD TAKE ON ANOTHER CAUSE OF SALVAGING UNUSED BRAND NEW BOOKS AND GET THEM INTO THE HANDS OF CHILDREN NOT YET IN THE PROGRAM. I THEN DONATE THE BOOKS TO SHELTERS, HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS. 

IN TOTAL, THERE WILL BE THREE TREES CREATED. ONE IS ERECTED AT THE TEEN-BOARD CENTER OF KNOXVILLE.  THE KNOXVILLE CONVENTION CENTER AND GOVERNOR LEE'S MANSION FOR HIS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY WILL ROUND OUT THE OTHER TWO. (MRS. LEE WILL USE HALF OF THE BOOKS FOR HER READING PROGRAM IN JANUARY, FURTHER HELPING OUR CAUSE TO GET BOOKS OUT THERE AND FOSTER A LOVE FOR LITERACY.) THERE ARE ABOUT 27,000 BOOKS USED IN TOTAL, SO EACH TREE HAVING BETWEEN 8,500-10,000 BOOKS. EACH DISPLAY HAS A POSTER ON SITE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT MY GOLD AWARD PROJECT AND THE REASONS WHY LITERACY IS SO CRUCIAL. I CREATED THIS WEBSITE SO CHILDREN CAN LOG ON HERE AT ANYTIME AND LISTEN TO PEOPLE READ THEM BOOKS. THIS AVENUE REACHES THOSE THAT MIGHT STILL BE MISSING A BOOK,  ARE JUST AN EBOOK TYPE USER OR MAYBE AN AUDITORY LEARNER. 

BEING A GIRL SCOUT HAS GREATLY HELPED ME ADVANCE AWARENESS OF THE POWER AND LOVE OF LITERATURE.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE INCLUDING ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS HELPING WITH THIS BIG PROJECT, THE DONORS, MY PARENTS ENDLESS SUPPORT AND EFFORTS, THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUB, TEEN-BOARD OF KNOXVILLE, AND THE GIRLS SCOUTS OF AMERICA, SOUTHERN APPALACHIA.

THANK YOU, THE VIEWER AND ENJOY LITERATURE!

💚KENDAL💛

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