Wilsonart Keeps Rolling with Rotary Books for the World
For the past seven years, Wilsonart, LLC (“Wilsonart”), the Temple Rotary Club, the Temple Public Library, the Temple Independent School District (“TISD”), and the Belton Independent School District (“BISD”) have literally been taking all of us to school!
Sometime in 2000, the number of public and private schools in Southern Africa was increasing, but the national and local governments in those countries were hard-pressed to allocate funds for books to use at these schools. Enter some gritty Texas Rotarians, who were determined to answer this call and address the growing literacy needs in Southern Africa. This is the origin of the Books for the World Project. Many years and many Rotary Clubs later, the Books for the World Project that initially focused on Southern Africa expanded its reach. The Books for the World epitomizes success. According to rotarybooksforworld. org, between 2001 and 2016, over 11 million books had been shipped abroad.
Literacy, especially childhood literacy, is a global challenge, and the Books for the World Project is now a global Rotary project. With the Temple Public Li-brary's support and both TISD and BISD, the Temple Rotary Club has collected English and Spanish language books, science books, and math books. Schools and libraries overseas have asked for any books to help fight illiteracy. The book collection is manageable. The tricky part is the low-cost transportation of the books to the warehouse in the Houston area. Enter Wilsonart.
Wilsonart has a long and rich history in Texas. Since 1956, Wilsonart has been
a faithful and vital part of the Temple/Belton community. Its support of the
Temple Rotary Club's Books for the World Project is simply a continuation of
the link between Wilsonart and the Temple/Belton area.
When the Temple Rotary Club approached Wilsonart about providing trucks
to transport books from TISD and BISD to a warehouse in the Houston area, it
took about a nanosecond for Wilsonart to say yes. Each year the Temple Public
Library, TISD, and BISD cull through their books, setting aside books no longer
needed. However, the need for these castoffs is very real in other parts of the
world. This is where the Books for the World Project steps in. By matching the
unwanted books in the Temple Public Library, TISD, and BISD to the continuing
need for books in schools and libraries around the world, the Temple Rotary
Club hits the trifecta! We have a win for the Temple Public Library, TISD, and
BISD by taking excess books off their hands. We have another win by keeping
these excess books out of landfills. Then we have the win that places the book
in the hands of those who desperately need them. Voila! The trifecta! A win, win
and win for all participants.
With Wilsonart's help, the Temple Rotary Club can fulfill its core principle of
Service Above Self. The Rotary Books for the World Project reveals that Wilsonart
also has a tradition of Service Above Self. This fact is the ultimate win!
Barbara Bozon & Gail Peek, Temple Rotary Club
