Literacy campaign features book drive, social media contest
By Alison James
Associate Editor
This year’s National Read Across America Day will be celebrated all month long with a city-wide Dr. Seuss-themed book drive, hosted by Verge Pipe Media.
The book drive began March 2 and will continue through the end of the month. All books collected from the book drive will be donated to the Pine Hills Literacy Project, which promotes reading literacy by reading to the children at the Boys and Girls Club in Auburn.
Don Crow, owner and founder of Verge Pipe Media, said he is excited about the project, which he sees as “a perfect fit for our efforts to help improve children’s literacy and provide a fun way to encourage parents to read to their children this month.”
“Our own brand, Verge Pipe Media, draws inspiration from Dr. Seuss and his ability to blend color, rhyme and imagination into wonderful storytelling,” Crow said. “Almost every adult can remember a line from a Dr Seuss book, and that’s a very powerful reminder of the benefits to reading to children.”
Collection boxes will be located in the front of stores throughout Opelika and Auburn for book donations, including The Drug Store, Kroger, Professional Cleaners, U&I Boutique, Island Wing Company, Wake Up Coffee, BBVA Compass Bank, Southern Crossing, Mountain High Outfitters and Sweet Malisa’s. Books can also be donated electronically through Verge Pipe Media’s online Amazon wish list, which can be found on Verge Pipe Media’s website.
Anne Daniels, co-founder of Pine Hills Literacy Project, said any chance to bring books to children who want to read is great for everyone in the community.
“Robert Gibbs and I started Pine Hills Literacy Project because of our love for reading and the children in Auburn,” she said. “We started this program with the hopes to inspire a love of reading in every child … We would love to see parents who have gently used books their kids may have outgrown, donate those books at one of many drop-off points.”
Anyone who would like to include their business as a drop-off point can email info@vergepipemedia.com. People can also donate books by visiting https://e4424.myubam.com/86910. For every four books that are purchased under #excusetoseuss, one extra book will be donated.
Another aspect of the month of celebration is a social media campaign to promote reading. “Our goal is … to see parents reading to their children and sharing those images with all of us using #ExcuseToSeuss on social media,” said Crow. People who share these images with the hashtag might win a prize.
Photo by Robert Noles
Anne Daniels reads to a group of children at the Pine Hill Literacy kick-off event Monday. The month-long event is set to collect books and promote reading.