Every summer, the Delhi Rotary Club looks forward to running children’s activities in the town’s historic Fair on the Square, held every Friday night in July. But in July 2020, there would be no Fair in the Square, no family activities anywhere. Our club wondered, what could we do to help?
I am the club’s secretary, as well as a children’s book author, and I had already begun working with two local bookstores to get free books to kids, when the pandemic started. I asked the club (during a Zoom visit, of course) whether getting books to kids was a goal they wanted to work on, and the response was enthusiastic.
Because we knew that libraries were not offering their summer reading programs, we decided to start one of our own. We announced it online, partnered with Green Toad Bookstore in Oneonta to get a discount on books, and told parents we’d drop off a free book for their child if they chose to participate. On top of that, we agreed to drop off the free book right on their doorstop.
We had 65 kids sign up that first year, from all across Delaware County. Our members drove many miles and many hours to deliver those books. We received great feedback from the parents who took us up on our offer.
The next year, libraries started up their own reading programs again. So, we asked them, “Should we still do ours?” They all said yes. Our free books were an attractive draw, and we had more tween and teen participants than the libraries usually got. They asked us for help promoting their own reading programs, which we happily did.
Over the last six years, our program has grown and changed. We still deliver books far and wide, but now work with several libraries to act as pick-up spots. We opened a Little Free Library in the heart of Delhi village, and every Halloween we give away 250 free spooky books to trick-or-treaters in about two hours.
Besides the wonderful feedback we get, one of the most satisfying things about starting our reading challenge has been getting to know members of other Rotary Clubs. Franklin Rotary has built their own Little Free Library, and Unadilla Rotary now runs their own Summer Reading Challenge, with discounted books provided by us.
If you’d like to learn how to run your own summer reading challenge, please read out. Studies tell us that summer reading is important for kids to keep their skills sharp—and it’s equally important for kids to read for fun and read what they like. We’re working hard to create a generation of readers here in Delaware County, and we have fun when we do it, too.
Tracey West Hancock is the Secretary of the Delhi Rotary Club in Delhi, NY. She and her husband, Billy, operate the Dragon Wagon, a mobile children’s bookstore (see photo below). They travel to libraries and festivals in rural Delaware County with the goal of improving book choice and accessibility for all kids and teens. Every kid who visits the Dragon Wagon gets to choose a free book to keep.
