Congratulations Phi Theta Kappa Florida!

Posted by admin on 11.12.2007 at 11:34 am

You collected the highest number of qualifying books of all the states in the USA (more than 818 cartons!) for the collegiate “Book Drives for Better Lives’ program!

Hooray!

AND

you have saved 25,282 pounds of books from the landfill which is equivalent to over 12 tons of books–all from Florida!

Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!

Thank you to all the chapters in this, the Sunshine State that made this possible!! You are bringing light and hope to others through these book drives.  From my heart, I thank you for yours.

Florida from Space, courtesy of Wikipedia

1 Comment » | Tagged Uncategorized, book drive, campus, florida

Better World Books Teams Up with Recyclers!!

Posted by admin on 06.04.2007 at 4:22 pm

Leon County Recycling Services & Education in Tallahassee FL has teamed up with Better World Books to help encourage our local universities to recycle their “no value” textbooks. At the end of each semester, the 50,000 Tallahassee students try to get some value back for the books they bought at the beginning of the semester. Inevitably, some of these books are worth nothing. That’s where Better World Books comes in. Normally the bookstores take these books back and throw them away as a service to their customers (students). However, BWB has developed a system for reselling, reusing or recycling textbooks.

Using their turnkey approach, no books wind up in the landfill, literacy programs benefit both with increased funding or books to distribute and kids of all ages can learn to read. In addition, BWB provides funding to groups on campus who serve as collection crews for the books. To date, BWB has diverted over 4,700 tons of books from going into landfills. They have also provided over 520,000 books and $2 Million dollars to various non-profits in the US and around the world.

In two book drives, Leon County diverted 3 tons of books from the landfill. Currently we are working with Florida State University but are planning on expanding to Florida A&M and TCC this summer. This is a very easy program for any local government to participate in. All you need is a contact at the University and some room to store boxes. BWB handles the rest! For more information check out Better World Books on the web at www.betterworldbooks.com.

Have your say » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, Uncategorized, book drive, campus, environmental impact, florida, Florida A&M, Leon County, recycling, Tallahassee

Southeast Region Spotlight

Posted by admin on 12.04.2006 at 9:01 am

Beginning December 1, 2006, I will be highlighting on a monthly basis, individuals and/or chapters in my region, that have demonstrated exceptional qualities of leadership with the” Book Drives for Better Lives” altruistic service project/ fundraiser on campus.  The individuals and/or clubs receiving special recognition have lead a superior drive…raising awareness on campus for the book campaign, recruiting volunteers, motivating and educating students and professors at the Planning Session, delegating tasks and ‘rolling up their sleeves’  to ensure that the book drive is a successful, campus-wide event on their campus!

I have had the privilege of working with many wonderful people.  The first recipient of this Award is Whitney Ellis from Golden Key International Honour Society at Florida State University.

Whitney has shown outstanding leadership skills to make the book drive benefiting ‘Room to Read’ a reality – and a success – at FSU!!

She was an Officer in her Golden Key Chapter last spring when we first connected, studying full-time, majoring in Studio Art as well as working a part-time job. She made the decision to lead the drive on campus as she believed wholeheartedly in our mission to help break the cycle of poverty and dependence through literacy…one book at a time.

Whitney and her husband, Josh (who served in Iraq from 2003-2004 and currently the GK  President at FSU) were married in a civil ceremony in May of 2005.  The date that they set for their ‘official’ wedding with guests, gown, reception, etc. was set for May 20,  2006….little did she know when she set the date the year before, that she would willingly be packing boxes of books with Josh and organizing a cadre of volunteers the month of her wedding!!  Whitney, while studying, working part-time and planning for her wedding would come home to her apartment where the second bedroom was overflowing with books!  She was tireless in her approach to organizing the book drive on campus!

Anything that I would suggest to Whitney, she implemented…an article in the campus newspaper, a PSA in the local radio stations to promote the drive, facebook, tabling ( that’s Josh at the table), recruiting volunteers, another club to co-lead the drive,  (this semester we are piloting a program where there will be two pairs of organizations, a total of four clubs, leading autonomous, simultaneous book drives on campus), flyers around campus, working with the recycling department on campus, table tents in the dining halls, inviting her on-campus bookstore to participate and with great frustration, tried to get the off-campus bookstore to participate (met with him in person, drafted and sent a letter to the manager, asked her friends who work at the bookstore convince him to help.)…
Read more…

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, book drive, campus, florida, florida state university, Golden Key