The Altona Lagoon Book Club donated books to the Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School Library on Friday, March 1. It was an exciting day for Grades 1 through 8 students, the school librarian, and the school principals. A total of $1,300 was spent at Undercover Books & Gifts in Gallows Bay to outfit the school library.
This is the book club’s third year for a book donation to an elementary school. Juanita Gardine Elementary School in 2022 and Claude O. Markoe Elementary School in 2023 were the recipients of the Altona Lagoon Book Club’s generosity.
Leonor Gillette, the book club’s president, started the club with six members, and the membership is now up to 20. They meet monthly at Cafe Rouge in downtown Christiansted, take a summer break, and resume their meetings in the fall.
“We are grateful to Food Town for their matching funds, to Undercover Books & Gifts’ Kobie Nichols for her discount and for ordering the books, and for the generosity of our book club members,” Gillette shared with enthusiasm.
Pearl B. Larsen Assistant Principal Anna Marie Gordon was present for the big day. “We were so excited and blessed to be this year’s donation. It was a wonderful day and an exciting time for the students and for the staff members who were there.”
“I think it is powerful that a group would take the time to read and to also take the time to donate the books,” Gordon said.
“Oftentimes, our children are so wrapped up with these handheld devices,” she added.
“Just turning the pages and falling in love with the book afresh and not only recognizing all the parts of the book – the imagery and the artistry – and being able to grasp what it’s saying without having any electronic aids means a lot. We’re losing that and unfortunately this generation is somewhat out of touch with that,” she said.
Gordon gave kudos to the school librarian. “I’m so proud of our librarian who still takes the time for our library time and oral reading time to promote the amount of books in the library.”
“We are most grateful for this wonderful gift. I pray that it will continue to other schools over the years,” Gordon said.
School librarian Liane Forbes has been processing the books and getting them ready for students to check out. “This is so exciting! I can’t wait to show the books to the students in the Spanish community. The range of reading encompasses first through eighth-grade students. The books are great!”
The Altona Lagoon Book Club members present for the donation event were Margaret Simpson, Cathy Booth, Gail Quinn, Decolious Johnson, Sharon Schenkel, Pamela Burton, and Leonor Gillette.
For more information:
Leonor Gillette, 340-643-9439
