JOPLIN PROJECT QUICK SHEET
PROJECT TITLE
“TURNING THE PAGE: Building a Community of
Readers”
PROJECT GOAL
To
create 22 fully-stocked portable classroom libraries for two grade schools in
Joplin, Missouri, whose buildings were destroyed in the May 22nd tornado.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
Write
a check for
any amount made payable to “TURNING THE PAGE”
and
send it to:
TURNING THE PAGE
c/o the Reading
Reptile
328 W. 63rd St.
Kansas City,
MO 64113
816-753-0441
Go
online and
make a credit card contribution of any amount at
(Approximately 50 cents of every $10
contribution will be captured by the processor.)
Donate
books in two ways:
By
purchasing selected titles from the Reading Reptile at 35% OFF;
By
bringing or sending brand new books to the Reading Reptile.*
Come
to our designated author events! (see above)
A
percentage of your book purchases will help fund this project.
PROJECT SPONSORS
READING REPTILE
Pete Cowdin
328 W. 63rd St.
KC, MO 64113
816-753-0441
KANSAS CITY MISSOURI PUBLIC LIBRARY
April Roy/Youth Services Manager
Plaza Branch
4801 Main St.
Kansas City, MO 64112
816-701-3690
PROJECT PARTNERS:
HALLMARK CARDS, INC.
Mark Spencer/
Creative Resource and Fine Art Program Manager
2501 McGee
Kansas City, MO 64141
816-274-5111
KANSAS CITY WOODWORKERS GUILD
Kevin Thomas/President
3189 Mercier
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-289-4640
BENEFICIARY
JOPLIN BRIGHT FUTURES
(on behalf of Irving and
Emerson Elementary schools)
Kristen
Dudolski/Bright Futures
Joplin
Schools Operation Center
3901
East 32nd Street
Joplin,
MO 64804
417-625-5200 ext. 2233
PROJECT DETAILS
In the
wake of the devastating tornado that struck Joplin last May, the Reading
Reptile and the Kansas City Missouri Public Library are teaming up with the
Joplin Bright Futures initiative to provide two Joplin grade schools - Irving
and Emerson elementary, both of which were destroyed by the twister - with 22
fully-stocked portable classroom libraries as they resume school this fall in
temporary locations.
To
this end, partnerships have been forged with the Kansas City Woodworkers Guild
and Hallmark Cards.
The
Guild is donating its workshop and volunteering man-hours to build the portable cases that will
hold the books. The book cases themselves will be comprised of two shelving
units hinged in the middle so that they can be closed for transport.
Artists
at Hallmark Cards are volunteering their time to paint and decorate the
handcrafted cases which, when closed, will resemble large books.
In the
meantime, the Library and the Reading Reptile have launched a book drive to
stock each book case with at least 50 brand new books.
Two
major author events this fall featuring Jon Scieszka and Brian Selznick will be
dedicated to the project (see below), to help raise awareness and generate
funds for books, building materials, and transportation.
Our goal
is to deliver all of the cases to Joplin, fully stocked, before Thanksgiving.
DEDICATED AUTHOR EVENTS
JON SCIESZKA September 26th, 6:30PM Plaza Library
The
first event will take place at the Truman Forum in the Plaza Library on Monday,
September 26th at 6:30PM, and will feature the former National Ambassador For
Young People’s Literature, Jon Scieszka, creator of the contemporary classics THE
STINKY CHEESE MAN and THE
TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS.
Jon
will present his latest book in the Spaceheadz series (#3!) as we host Kansas City’s
first-ever SPACEHEADZ CONVENTION!
Selected
books for the Joplin book drive will be on hand for purchase at a deep
discount, and a percentage of all Scieszka book sales that night will be
donated by the Reading Reptile to the Joplin project to help fund book case
materials and cover transportation costs.
BRIAN SELZNICK October
5th, 6:30PM Plaza Library
October
6th, 6:00PM Lidia’s Kansas City
The
second major author event has two components and will feature bestselling
author Brian Selznick, creator of THE INVENTION OF
HUGO CABRET, a
Caldecott Medal winner and NY Times bestseller, and now the basis for “Hugo”, a major motion picture directed by Martin
Scorcese - his
first feature film for children - to be released this fall.
Brian
will be presenting WONDERSTRUCK, his new novel in pictures and words,
one of the most highly anticipated children’s book releases of 2011, at the
Truman Forum in the Plaza Library on Wednesday, October 5th at 6:30PM. As with the Scieszka event,
selected books for the Joplin book drive will be on hand for purchase at a deep
discount, and a percentage of all Selznick book sales that night will be
donated by the Reading Reptile to the Joplin project to help fund book case
materials and cover transportation costs.
On
Thursday, October 6th at 6:00PM, Brian Selznick will be the featured guest at a “Turning
the Page” benefit dinner at Lidia’s Kansas City. Tickets for the benefit are $75 per person and seating is
limited to 50 people. Each guest will receive one copy of Wonderstruck, a
three-course dinner, and enjoy an exclusive multimedia presentation from Brian
Selznick. In addition, $25 from EVERY ticket will help build, stock and transport a
portable library for Joplin!
PROJECT COSTS
ESTIMATED
MATERIAL COSTS FOR BOOK CASES: $2,700.00
(Wood: $1700; Hardware: $1000)
ESTIMATED
TRANSPORTATION COSTS: $550.00
(400 miles at $0.69 per mile + $29.95 + tax
+ gas)
ESTIMATED
COST OF BOOKS FOR CASES: $8,800.00
(1,100 books at an average wholesale cost
of $8 - actual expenses here will be less
since many of the books will be donated in-kind)
TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS: $7,500.00 - $12,050.00
(depending on quantity of new book
donations)
* NO USED books, only NEW books! NO
SELF-PUBLISHED books. All donated books must fall within the K-5 grade levels
and be of excellent quality, both physically and in terms of literary merit.
Please feel free to call Pete or Debbie with any questions herein.