Gently used books, lots of them.
That is the goal of an collection effort kicked off Wednesday by fourth graders in a reading enrichment program at the Irving School in Derby.
The students are collecting books — for children and adults — through Jan. 28. They will be donated to the Connecticut State Council, Vietnam Veterans of America.
The veterans will give the books to the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Haven, and veterans’ homes in West Haven, Bridgeport and Manchester.
The school holds a community meeting once every two weeks, and part of Wednesday’s assembly included the kickoff for the community service project.
Fourth grade teachers Edwin Croft, Holly Smith, and Frank Briganti worked on the project with students. Briganti said Wednesday that students had already collected more than 100 books before the actual kickoff.
Fourth grader Abby Kiraly, 9, said she was happy to be a part of the book drive “because the community is joining with us.” She said, “The more books we get for the needy, the better.”
Classmate Sha’ron Howard, also 9, said, “It’s exciting to me because we can meet people from the VVA.”
Croft said the program seeks to teach students how to make decisions, advertise, and run a community-wide event.
Last month fourth graders who are part of the enrichment program created a video with Briganti that outlines the book drive and designates the eight drop-off locations throughout Derby where the community can donate books.
Check out their video above.
Those drop-off locations are: Derby Public Library, 313 Elizabeth St.; Birmingham Health Center, 210 Chatfield St.; Liberty Rehab and Patient Aid Centers, 49 Pershing Drive; Walnut Hill Community Church, 27 Ninth St.; Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan, 49 Pershing Drive; Peachwave, 49 Pershing Drive; Bradley School, 155 David Humphreys Road; and Irving School, 9 Garden Place.
(Reminder — children’s or adult books accepted)
Two U.S. Air Force veterans of the Vietnam War, New Britain resident Patti Dumin and Milford resident Bob Chechoski, were on hand at the Irving School Wednesday to meet students and staff and talk about who will benefit from the students’ efforts. Books will be given to needy families throughout the state.
Dumin is president of the Connecticut State Council, and Chechoski is a delegate to the council.
Dimin said VVA was established in 1979 and has about 74,000 members nationwide.
She said schools don’t teach much history about the Vietnam War.
“It’s heartwarming to see somebody out there who cares about us,” she said.
Cumin told students that when Vietnam veterans returned to the United States after the war they “weren’t treated very nicely.“
Checoski commended Irving’s teachers and students. “I’ve never seen a school with so much energy and spirit,” Checoski said with a smile.
Dumin said she plans to return to Irving Jan. 28 to pick up the donated books.
Principal Jennifer Olson said initiatives such as the book drive are part of “infusing a culture of reading into everything we do.”
