Officials at the Goddard schools in Aurora and North Aurora are excited about the progress being made in the annual book drive designed to help children in need.
A press release about the drive notes that “over the last 12 years, a partnership between The Goddard School and Bernie’s Book Bank has resulted in more than 290,000 books being donated to low-income families. This year, the partners are at it again with a goal of collecting a combined 25,000 books at the various Goddard schools in the Chicago area.”
Officials from the two Aurora area schools noted there are about 32 Goddard locations throughout the Chicago area.
“We get participation from both our parents and the community” during the book drive, said Akhtar Zaman, owner of the Goddard School in Aurora at 949 Waterford Drive. “We have received books from the community throughout the year but with our parents it starts slow and then at the end, everybody remembers – hey, we have a book fair – and we remind people.”
Zaman said he has “run the book fair for the Goddard market in Chicago for about nine years and we’ve been doing it for about 13 years in total. Every single year we have exceeded our target. We collect at least 25,000 books every year.”
At the Goddard location in North Aurora, donations are already ahead of schedule, according to Marianne Bernardoni, director of operations.
“The goal of 25,000 throughout Chicago is in the ballpark in terms of whether that total is higher or lower – every year, we try to add a little more,” Bernardoni said. “It’s not like a huge leap forward. Here at our school, we’re a little over 1,100 so far. At this point with two weeks to go we are above our usual number and we’re actually getting a second delivery of collection bins this year. The total of 1,100 is usually where we end the drive – we usually end a little above or below 1,000.”
Bernardoni said there are different reasons why donations are up this year.
“The fact that we had a low year last year, people will kind of clear out and maybe it has something to do with an awful lot of information out there on social media,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot about decluttering our life and that might have something to do with it. Our school – over the years we’ve done this – we usually do a little bit better every other year.”
Bernardoni said each year when the drive is announced parents react quickly.
“Usually during the first couple weeks we get an influx and then an additional boost when I put out that last reminder, although things are usually pretty steady throughout the drive,” she said.
Donations at the North Aurora Goddard School can be dropped off at the building at 301 Miller Drive.
Bernardoni said “there is a box out in our public space in our lobby and also a collection bin inside the school in the hallway.”
A similar option is available at the Aurora school at 949 Waterford Drive.
New and gently used books will be collected at the locations through Feb. 28, when they will then be distributed to underserved children through Bernie’s Book Bank at 917 N. Shore Drive in Lake Bluff, officials said.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
