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© St. Petersburg Times, published February 24, 2002
Fifteen 4-year-olds at Rainbow Academy preschool in St. Petersburg sat frozen in a circle on the floor.
Their classroom teemed with Legos, plastic dinosaurs, a miniature kitchen, construction paper and Lincoln logs. But not one reached for a toy or even glanced at them. Not one had to be asked to be quiet. Not one was reminded to pay attention.
What had them so transfixed? A book.
And Miss Sally.
Sally Donsbach is a volunteer for Goodwill Industries who reads books every week to preschools and day care centers. She spends about 30 minutes reading to each mesmerized class, then gives each child a book to keep.
If you're looking for a flexible but meaningful way to volunteer, this is it. You could read just one hour a month or every day, whatever fits your schedule. Or you can just donate new or slightly used books at any Goodwill collection site, and know they will end up in the excited, little hands of preschoolers throughout the county.
"Today we're going to go on a trip. We're going to the zoo, then we're going to the beach and we might go to a forest," Donsbach says as she starts to read. "You know how we're going to get there? We're going to read a book. Every time you read a book, it takes you on a trip somewhere."
After she reads four books aloud, she calls each student's name and they walk up to collect a book, with a personalized nameplate on the front page. The pride and excitement rival that of an actor accepting an Oscar. Classmates clap loudly. No acceptance speeches are made, but some stare at the book a few minutes before sitting down. Others hug Miss Sally. And once they do sit down, they start poring over every page.
"I'm going on a trip with a turtle," said 4-year-old Dylan Maczis. "I'm going to keep this and read it and take care of it."
"When these kids get their books, they are so excited. They can't wait to go home and show their mom or dad," said Cristine White, director of the day care center. "Many parents can't afford new books for their children."
Of course, the teachers at this and other day care centers read regularly to their students, but when a Goodwill volunteer visits, it's a little more special because the children get to keep the books.
"As soon as she calls out that child's name, it makes the child special," said Jinnie Kerdi, Goodwill-Suncoast's volunteer coordinator. "That child wonders, "How did she know my name?' "
Though there are just a dozen regular reading volunteers, they gave out 6,000 books in 2001. They target children ages 2 to 5 at subsidized day care centers and preschools. Volunteers also read at the waiting rooms in clinics, shelters and welfare-to-work offices. In those cases, readers take along baby books as well to give out to infants in car seat carriers and strollers.
When Rena Massey, a church organist at Second Church of Christ Scientist, heard about the BookWorks program a year ago, the first thing she thought of was the WIC office where moms and children under age 5 get financial aid. Massey had gotten help there herself when her children were very young. Now she reads once or twice a week to the children sitting with their moms in the waiting room.
"Usually, a lot of parents are slightly grumpy, sitting there waiting. When I read the books, it cheers everybody up, and when I give the books to the kids, their whole face lights up and the parents are happy," Massey said. "The really wonderful thing is after I move on to the next child, the parents start reading that book to their kids again."
Since these parents are struggling to put food on the table, books are not a purchase priority.
"It makes these kids feel important to have a book with their own name on the nameplate," Massey said. "I believe to have a happy life you can't just focus only on yourself and your problems. I'm so grateful for the help I got there, and now I can give something back."
Most of the books come from community donations dropped at Goodwill trucks around the county. Volunteers clean the books and sort them into different age-appropriate groups.
Donsbach said she still goes through the books the night before she reads to make sure there are no scribbles or torn pages. "I feel like these are a gift, and I wouldn't give a present to someone unless it is perfect," she said. "The impact comes from giving these children something of value. They get a better sense of their self-worth."
Goodwill is holding a book drive in March and April to bring in more new or used books in good shape.
Collection bins will be at First Union bank branches throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties. Local schools also have held book drives that gave students a chance to donate their own favorite books to the youngest future readers.
Though the program has tripled the number of children it reaches in three years, it still needs more readers and more books. Most preschool classes get just one visit a year, and there are many classes that aren't visited at all.
Home Shopping Network employees load up on the Goodwill bus and spend a day reading at large day care centers and preschools once a quarter. The company gives employees one paid day a year during which they can miss work and volunteer in the community. The BookWorks program makes it easy for volunteers to participate just once and still make a difference, Kerdi said.
For more information, call 523-1512 ext. 223.
-- You can reach Katherine Snow Smith by e-mail at Oliviachar@aol.com or write Rookie Mom, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.
A great Web site sponsored by All Children's Hospital is www.helpforkidspeech.org. Parents can e-mail questions about the development of their child's speech and other areas. The site has information on a litany of topics such as thumb sucking, picky eaters and how many words and phrases an 18-month-old should know. Along with answering your questions, it also posts articles on related topics and provides resources for help.