As part of its annual Rotary Reads program designed to encourage life-long reading skills in children and impart an important life lesson, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donated 366 copies of the book “Because of Mr. Terupt” by Rob Buyea for each child attending third through fifth grades at Long Neck Elementary School. The Club worked with Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach to purchase these books at cost. Children in kindergarten through grade 2 received a copy of “Hank: The Unhappy Great Blue Heron” by Long Neck Sunrise Rotarian and author, Christine Tomalin. These books were also provided at cost. The total book donation totaled $3,632.
Each year Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club partners with Long Neck Sunrise Elementary to bring books to each child attending the school. This year’s selections were chosen because of their messaging regarding the value of friendship, particularly when one feels ostracized and remaining true to those friends when facing adversity.
The books were provided to the children at assemblies for the two age groups where Tech/STEAM teacher Samantha Haas addressed the messaging of “Because of Mr. Terupt “and Rotarian and author, Christine Tomalin addressed the difficulties a lone, great blue heron faces in making friends as presented in her book “Hank: The Unhappy Great Blue Heron.”
“We are delighted to work with Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club to select books for our student population that encourage their reading and teach valuable life lessons,” notes Samantha Haas. “The generosity of Long Neck Sunrise Rotary each year is much appreciated.”
Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club Rotary Reads chair, Sharon Marshall notes, “Our club’s mission is to help the youth of the greater Long Neck area thrive. Helping to instill good reading and life habits in the children at Long Neck Elementary is an important part of this effort. We were thrilled that we were able to use a book published by one of our own members this year and continue to be grateful for the generosity and cooperation of Browseabout Books.”
Caption top photo: Author and Long Neck Sunrise Rotarian Christine Tomalin poses with children of Lauren Miller’s kindergarten class
