Tri-County Retired Teachers Association (RTA) had a very successful year with the Children’s Book Project and fulfilled their goal of “Giving the Gift of Reading.”
The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is pleased to spotlight the local chapter members’ collective efforts and celebrate their accomplishments.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Between Duval, Jim Wells and Western Nueces counties, 1,500 children will have a book in their hands to take home to read and keep as their own! Tri-County RTA collected these 1,500 books and distributed them to 14 elementary schools.
- Tri-County RTA began its campaign to collect book donations in January of 2024 when Sylvia Trejo was nominated for the officer position of Second Vice-President. From that moment, it was Trejo’s goal to surpass Tri-County’s previous year’s book donation total of 634.
- Trejo asked for book donations from the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Daughter of St. Elizabeth of Hungary #2584, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Beta Pi Chapter, Tri-County RTA, Terrific Alice Retired Teachers Society (TARTS), Duval County Sheriff’s Office, Alice High School National Honor Society students, as well as monetary donations from members from all the organizations and groups.
- Tri-County RTA members worked overtime to pick up and sort the books, then contacted school personnel and drove to the 14 designated elementary school campuses.
- Trejo personally ensured the delivery of books to Schallert Elementary School in Alice and Orange Grove Elementary School in Orange Grove.
QUOTE: “I am so excited to let you know that our Tri-County RTA Chapter has stamped and book-plated 30 boxes of books totaling 1,500 donated books! This number is more than double last year’s donation. This is the first year that I am the Children’s Book Project Chairman, and I was very concerned about what to do. I am very grateful to the members for their guidance. I am now ready to do this again next year.” – Sylvia Trejo, Second VP/Communications, Tri-County RTA
Texas Retired Teachers Association – The Children’s Book Project
Background: The Children’s Book Project is a service activity initiated by local chapters of TRTA.
History will tell…
Qué? TRTA Second VP/Communications Committee set the Children’s Book Project plan into action July 1, 1998.
Purpose? To put books into the hands of children who otherwise would not have books of their own.
Goal? To develop a plan for a statewide project for TRTA members to donate children’s books to schools and/or children’s care facilities in support of the Governor’s reading initiative program.
How? Plan with the public relations (now communications) committee and librarian consultants a children’s book drive and execute it statewide.
Who? Sue Passmore, Chairman
Sponsors? The first book drive program was sponsored by the Public Relations Committee.
When? Fall 1999
Really?! George W. Bush designated March 22, 1999 as “Texas Retired School Personnel Day – A Celebration of Volunteerism” – A check was presented to the Governor in the amount of $295,553,789 for 41,037,311 volunteer hours given by TRTA members from 1990-1998.
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