The Book Giving Tree project continues to kindle a passion for reading among children and their families in our community.
The brainchild of Bev Terry, a local educator and dedicated volunteer with Bellies and Babies, Sunshine Coast Community Services Society (SCCSS)’s Book Giving Tree project was started in 2020 to inspire parents and children to develop a lifelong love of reading.
Partnering with Bev Shaw of Talewind Books and Shirley French of SCCSS, the project took root by creating a unique tree adorned with gift tags bearing the names of children in the program.
Each gift tag offered community members the opportunity to gift a book to a child in need.
With the unwavering support of our community, Bev Terry embarked on the mission of selecting, wrapping, and delivering books into the eager hands of more than 50 children, ensuring they had access to the joys of reading.
Tragically, Bev Terry passed away in 2021, but her spirit and vision live on in the hearts of her friends, Talewind Books and Shirley from SCCSS.
In just two years, her legacy has blossomed, touching the lives of over 160 children and their families.
Friends of Bev have stepped in to take on the tasks of making the labels, picking the books, and wrapping them ready for delivery, happy to invest their time and energy into this initiative started by their beloved friend.
“Staff love being part of this initiative, taking great pleasure in delivering the books to families kindly donated by the community,” says Shirley French, “this is a beautiful way to honour Bev’s memory, and we are so grateful to Talewind Books for being so creative and finding such a special way to provide support to the families attending our programs this holiday season.”
You can help continue Bev’s warm-hearted legacy of fostering family literacy through the Book Giving Tree project.
This November, visit Talewind Books at 5494 Trail Avenue in Sechelt, choose a name tag from the Book Giving Tree, and purchase a pre-chosen book as a gift for a child from one of Sunshine Coast Community Services Family Resource programs.
For more information about the program, contact Shirley French at [email protected] or call 604-865-1108.
