Woodworker Built Bookcases for Schools & Students

The Village Woodworkers Club has a special community project building bookcases to assist with raising literacy in local area grade schools. Hardwood bookcases are built and donated to the school students designated by their Grade School Principal. Each bookcase is also supplied with appropriate reading level books and given to the student to keep in their home. Books are donated by local area groups and school book drives. This bookcase & books program, and other programs like it, have provided substantial motivation to students to improve their reading skills and literacy. Students, family members and family friends typically add additional books to their new "home library". The donated bookcases and books can have a large benefit in the local community. The Bookcases Project is one of the community projects approved by the Village Woodworkers Club Board of Directors. The Bookcases Project is lead by Chairman, Dick Herrmann. Dick was inspired by a literacy improvement project started by Jim Davidson, a self syndicated columnist in Conway, AR. You can read more about Jim's project details by going to website address: www.jimdavidsoncolumn.com and clicking on the "Bookcase Literacy Project" Button Building bookcases is one of the ongoing club projects. Pictured is one of the motivated reading improvement students with his bookcase & books. Paragraphs are identified below for each school and students bookcases donation event and associated pictures. Thanks to Dave Kariker for the school events pictures. Click below on the various titled paragaph links to see bookcase donation pictures and student receipents of bookcases and books that belong to them to keep in their home. Click on this link to see student thank you letters : Student Bookcase Thank You Letters

Donated Books & New Books Purchases Students are awarded a combination of new & "lightly used" donated books with each bookcase. Pictured is the Spring 2007 Fountain Lake book drive collection area. Thanks to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) for a generous 2007 $1,000 grant used to purchase new books for school designated most improved reading Fountain Lake and Jessieville grade school students. Pictured below is Dave Kariker, 2007 Club President, and Dick Herrmman, Bookcases Project Chairman, presenting $500 checks to each Jessieville & Fountain Lakes Librarian and Grade School Principal. The school librarians were able to use all of the money to obtain steeply discounted new book purchases from school books distributors.

2007 Woodworker's President and Bookcases Chairman awarding $500 HSACF funded check to Jessieville Grade School Librarian and Principal for new book purchases and student awards.

2007 Woodworker's President and Bookcases Chairman awarding $500 HSACF funded check to Fountain Lake Grade School Librarian and Principal for new book purchases and student awards.

March 2008 Fountain Lake Second Grade School Bookcases & Books Awards

The Village Woodworkers built solid oak bookcases during the 2007 Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop, Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project and the Truck Toy Team for building the 12 awarded bookcases. Thanks also to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) that provided grant funds for the purchase of new books that were included in the awards to 16 deserving students. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Fountain Lake second grade school students on 3/20/08 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the classroom presentation pictures: 3/08 Fountain Lake Second Grade School Bookcases & Books Awards Pictures

Spring 2007 Fountain Lake Kindergarden Bookcase Awards The Village Woodworkers built small maple bookcases during the 2007 Spring. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. The bookcases and donated books were presented to selected Fountain Lake kindergarden class students on 5/31/07 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit.

Spring 2007 Jessieville Bookcase Awards The Village Woodworkers built small maple bookcases during the 2007 Spring. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Jessieville grade school students on 5/24/07 by Mr Crumpler, the Primary School Principal and Denise Smith, the Jessieville Elementary Librarian. They selected the students based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the presentation pictures in the school gym: Spring 2007 Jessieville Bookcase Awards Pictures

Spring 2007 Fountain Lake Grade School Small Bookcase Donations The Village Woodworkers built small oak and maple bookcases during the 2006 Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Fountain Lake grade school students on 3/23/07 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the 13 presentation pictures: Spring 2007 Fountain Lake Bookcase & Books Presentation Pictures

Spring 2007 Jessieville Grade School Small Bookcase Donations Plans are being made by Jessieville Grade School management to identify additional students to receive small bookcases and books during the Spring 2007 time frame. Pictures will be provided when the event takes place.

Winter 2007 Fountain Lake Grade School Small Bookcase Donations The Village Woodworkers built small oak and maple bookcases during the 2006 Fall and Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. Ten small bookcases were donated to Fountain Lake second grade students in January 2007. The students were identified by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see various pictures taken during this Fountain Lake School bookcases and books donation event: Winter 2007 Fountain Lake Bookcase Donation Pictures

Winter 2007 Jessieville Grade School Small Bookcase Donations The Village Woodworkers built small oak and maple bookcases during the 2006 Fall and Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. Thanks to the HSV Optimists Club for the books in these awards. Eight small bookcases were donated to Fountain Lake second grade students in February 2007. The students were identified by Jessieville Grade School management. Click on this link to see various pictures taken in the Jessieville Grade School Cafeteria during this bookcases and books donation event: Winter 2007 Jessieville Bookcase Donation Pictures

2006 Fountain Lake Grade School Library Bookcases The Village Woodworkers built 10 large oak bookcases during the 2006 Fall. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. These bookcases were donated to the Fountain Lake School District in December 2006. Click on this link to see pictures of these bookcases in the Fountain Lake Grade School Library: Fountain Lake Grade School Library Bookcases Pictures