A donation from a local bank will help a local Salina organization with its literacy mission of getting books into the hands of people, both young and old. The local branch of regional Bank of the Plains has allocated a $1,000 donation to provide additional books for Altrusa International of Salina to use for its ongoing adult and youth-literacy work.
According to Altrusa, the gift from Bank of the Plains specifically provided funds to cover shipping of free books given to Altrusa Salina from The Lisa Libraries, based in Kingston, NY.
Altrusa International of Salina is one of four Altrusa clubs across Kansas and part of the four-state District Eight. The local club’s literacy work encompasses an award-winning library room created at a local nursing home/rehab center and maintaining about 10 small libraries in Salina and Saline County.
“What a gift for Bank of the Plains to provide funding to make it possible for Altrusa Salina to receive and share more than 500 books,” says Altrusa Salina Service co-Chair Tama Davidson. “Club members are so excited about partnering with the bank in this way to strengthen local access to reading materials for youth.”
Adds Bank of the Plains staff member Marcia Demuth, “Bank of the Plains is honored to support Altrusa Salina’s dedication to improving local literacy,” says Demuth, a longtime civic leader and Altrusa club member. “What better way to prepare young people to be financially literate than to first ensure they can have access to enriching materials for their unique literacy journey.”
The books provided by The Lisa Libraries of New York will be used in various ways by Altrusa Salina, including in its little libraries and at book-giveaway events including its annual, popular Book ‘n’ Treat table at the communitywide Halloween party each October at the Salina Fieldhouse. The club also supports adult literacy by providing books and magazines to numerous locations in the area, including laundromats, group living facilities and churches.
The Lisa Libraries was started in 1990 by author Ann M. Martin and friends to honor and memorialize children’s book editor Lisa Novak. Since then, libraries that the nonprofit has established are located at daycare facilities, prison-visitation areas and after-school programs. The Lisa Libraries also supplements locations under-supplied with reading materials, providing books to children who may have never before owned a book.
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For details on how to donate to or be a part of Altrusa Salina’s literacy work, contact club President Margaret Dixon at [email protected] or Service Co-Chairs Brenda Smith or Tama Davidson at [email protected] or [email protected].
