Who Are "The Government House Library Response Team"?
....We are 4 women. Volunteers first with Afretech Aid Society - Directed by North Delta Rotarian Bonnie Sutherland (www.afretech.org). We meet most Thursday mornings, to sort and pack donated books for libraries in third world countries. We pack and ship (through the Rotary World Help Network) fiction and non-fiction for all ages, and textbooks for Primary Schools, High Schools and Universities.
In early August, a plea was posted on the District Facebook page requesting help getting some boxes of books from Merritt to Surrey. Rotarian Alan Schmeizel replied with an offer to bring 6 – 8 boxes with him on his way back from holidays.
When he loaded his van, Alan squeezed in over 20 boxes of books! His delivery was much appreciated!
The books were left over after a Merritt school closed and local teachers had taken the books they wanted to use at their schools. Instead of putting the rest of the books into recycling or garbage bins, Rotarians asked if there could be another “home “ for the books. Some how word got to a group of volunteers ("The Government House Library Response Team") who are helping to put books into Libraries in BC First Nations Communities, and into schools in third world countries.
Who Are "The Government House Library Response Team"?
We are 4 women. Volunteers first with Afretech Aid Society - Directed by North Delta Rotarian Bonnie Sutherland (www.afretech.org). We meet most Thursday mornings, to sort and pack donated books for libraries in third world countries. We pack and ship (through the Rotary World Help Network) fiction and non-fiction for all ages, and textbooks for Primary Schools, High Schools and Universities.
In the spring of 2012 we were asked if we could help North Vancouver’s Lions Gate Rotary Club sort through books that had been donated for a First Nations Library in Rivers Inlet (Wuikinuxv). The four of us agreed and met Elizabeth Chong (Lions Gate Rotary) and Christoph Neufeld (Britco General Manager of Leasing) at the Britco work site in Langley. Book Warehouse had donated an incredible number of boxes of books for the project. We sorted the books, put pockets in them with borrowers’ cards and date - due slips, and labels on the spines so they were ready to be shelved when they were shipped to Rivers Inlet.
In appreciation for our work we were invited to lunch with the Lions Gate Rotary Club. At the luncheon we met Bob Blacker (Steveston Rotary Club, PDG District 5040) and heard his story about the projects. Bob was Aide De Campe to Lt. Governor Steven Point and is currently aide de campe to Lt.Governor Judy Guichon. Rotary’s involvement with BC First Nations Communities came from a conversation that Bob had with Lt.Gov Steven Point shortly after his term commenced.
See
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmX0DNaa7vQ<
>http://writetoreadproject.org/<
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cWg6W4pK9A&feature=youtu.be<
Libraries are the focus for our involvement in the projects but other groups are investing in the First Nations Communities as well.
Britco donated ten modular units, refurbishing them with shelving for the books. HP donates 70% of the cost of new computers and London Drugs donates the remaining 30%, a printer, router and hook-up expertise via Brian Van Sickle (London Drugs Computer Division). Scott Kemp (Architect) & Mike Herrold (Structural Engineer) donate their skills, helping design a modular unit plan that suits each community’s needs. White Rock U Lock Storage donated two 10 x 20 lockers. BC Ferries and Sea Span donate transportation of the modular units to the remote coastal communities. Orca Publishing makes new books available at 50% of the normal cost. UBC’s School of Dentistry takes groups of senior students to the reserves and runs multi-day dental clinics.
We processed books for Rivers Inlet in Langley at the Britco site, went to Chemainus and the Halalt Reserve, and to Williams Lake and the Yunesetin Reserve to process and shelve their books. We had help from band members at each of these Libraries and were able to show our helpers how to process and shelve books in the hopes that they will help look after the library.
We have books ready for the Malahat Library, and are currently processing books for Fort Rupert’s Library.
Many of the books we process have been donated - a good portion of them were collected by Delta Secondary’s Interact Club last January. Some were suplus books from Merritt where a school closed, some come from donations to Afretech, and some from the Rotary Club of White Rock’s Rotary Field House Book Sales. New books came from a Scholastic Book Warehouse that closed. Rotary Clubs that partner with each community may raise funds for new books (see agreement with Orca Publishing above).
We give our time to process the books. Rotary Clubs and /or Government house pay for the borrowers cards, pockets, tape and other supplies we need to process the books.
Adriel Wilson
Volunteer with Afretech
and
The Government House Library Response Team