United Way, Starkville Kiwanis, and Starkville Library Team Up For Project

STARKVILLE, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – Local United Way leaders are teaming up with the Starkville Kiwanis Club and the Starkville Public Library for a project they hope will be a real page-turner for people across a four-county area.

Beginning March 21, the “United We Read” project will be an effort aimed at helping to promote and encourage reading and literacy across Oktibbeha, Choctaw, Webster and Winston counties.

The project is coordinated by the United Way of North Central Mississippi in partnership with the Starkville Public Library and the Starkville Kiwanis Club

In its third year, the “United We Read” project is one of multiple community outreach and service projects coordinated by the United Way across the four counties served by the organization, said Candy Crecink, United Way executive director.

“The ‘United We Read’ project provides another way for the United Way to be actively involved in improving our community beyond just raising money each fall to support 15 charitable agencies,” Crecink said.

“With education playing such a vital role in the life of Starkville and Oktibbeha County and one of the United Way’s main focuses being enhancing education, we want to sponsor a project that encourages people of all ages to embrace reading as a part of life-long learning.”

The “United We Read” project will take place in two stages, said Angel Baker, a United Way board member who is coordinating the project.

The first part of the project involves a community book drive from March 21 to April 2. Community members are asked to donate slightly used fiction or nonfiction books – either paperback or hardcover – they no longer want or need.

Donors should not bring magazines, used activity books or reference books such as encyclopedias or college textbook, Baker said.

Collection bins for book donations will be placed at the following locations:

• The Greater Starkville Development Partnership offices on Main Street.
• Cadence Bank on University Drive.
• Renasant Bank on Highway 12 West.
• The Oktibbeha County Co-op on Pollard Road.
• Starkville Sportsplex on Lynn Lane.
• The Book Mart & Café on Main Street.
• The Sitel Call Center on Research Boulevard.
• Mitchell Memorial Library on the Mississippi State University campus.
• Barnes & Noble on the MSU campus.
• Starkville Properties on Russell Street.

Volunteers will also be present to collecting books from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 26 and April 2 at the Book Mart & Café, the Oktibbeha County Co-op and Barnes & Noble.

Donors can go online to http://www.usbornebookcase.com, go to the “United Way-United We Read” shopping event link and order books to be donated to the drive.

Once collected, volunteers will take the books to a clearinghouse at location to be sorted according to reading level/age group and prepared for redistribution at “The Great United We Read Book Giveaway” event to be held at the Starkville Sportsplex from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 9.

The book giveaway event will provide children, youth and adults an opportunity to select books they can read during the summer months.

In addition, “United We Read” will see a partnership with the Golden Triangle Area Agency on Aging to deliver books to senior citizens participating in the home-delivered meals program.

Any books remaining after the “Great United We Read Book Giveaway” will be donated to the Starkville Public Library for the Friends of the Library group to use in its monthly book sale fundraiser, Baker said.

“We really view this project as a win-win for all the participating organizations,” said Baker. “’United We Read’ will involve people across the community in an effort to encourage people to read.”

For more information about the “United We Read” project or to volunteer, call the United Way offices at (662) 323-3830 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday or send e-mail to unwayokt@maxxsouth.net.