Book Club Story
When Rotary Albert Park considered recycling books as a fund raising mechanism,the club had no idea that the community's generosity and passion for reading would generate $!,000's of dollars for the commmunity's needy.
Eleven years ago, Rotary Albert Park floated an idea to the Mayor of Port Phillip. Wheelie-bins would be located at the St Kilda, Albert Park and Port Melbourne libraries and the local community would be encouraged to donate their pre-loved books. The books would be sold at an annual Book Fair, with proceeds going back to those in need in our local community . The libraries agreed and the first year raised $5,000. Since then we have regularly raised about $20,000 per year.
Since the first Book Fair sales of second hand books to Dealers and the Annual Book Fair has contributed:
- more than $50,000 of Fiction and Non fiction books to Albert Park College
- $5,748 Payment for half-scholarships for Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health & Welfare (prevention of youth suicide) 2 year course
- $3,292 to support St Kilda Youth Kitchen Garden Programme
- $5,000 in total scholarships to Albert Park, Middle Park and Port Melbourne Primary schools for transition scholarships
- $5,000 for a literacy program at Albert Park Primary School
- In excess of $15,000 to Inner South Community Health Services assisting individuals in our community with items ranging from washing machines, beds, wheelchairs, footwear, cooking utensils and even underwear. All of these items have made a huge difference to those in need.
- $2,400 for Prahran Mission Stables Art Studio and Gallery.
- $5,000 towards kitchen equipment at the HEAT premises of Hospitality Employment and Training-a Port Melbourne training program in hospitality skills for unemployed and disengaged young people
- $3,341 to purchase chairs for St Silas Anglican Church hall Albert Park for regular usage by Autism Australia
- We have also Donated 1,000's of books to Opportunity Shops and old peoples homes in our local area plus Albert Park Primary school for their local Fete
The list just continues of those groups and individuals in our area that have benefited from the sale of books and hopefully will continue to do so.
We even have our own Book Site on ABE books where we list rare and interesting books that we uncover in our search for that hidden treasure and over the years we have found books that have sold for in excess of $400 each
Our Annual Book Fair is by far the cheapest and best range of books that you would find anyhere. That is why a book dealer recently spent $1,635 on second hand books to sell in his shop
October 2014