2016-09-01 RC of Sedona Sending Books to Africa
Rotary Club of Sedona Sending Books to Africa DistrictBy Linda Clark - PR for RC of Sedona
August 3, 2016—Sedona—Rotarian John Crawford (in the photo shown below) finishes packing 4,000 pounds of books for the first stage of the journey to a needy school in Africa and/or India. Nearly 4 tons are now awaiting transport.
Crawford said the idea came to him when his son spent a semester teaching math at a village school in Tanzania.
“James reported back to me that his class of 23 had to share just one math textbook—yet here in the U.S. we throw away tons of textbooks every year.”
Crawford started collecting discarded books from Red Rock High School, schools in Cottonwood, and Sedona Public Library.
“Thanks to Rotarians Dick Youngberg and Dick Weisbaum, members of the club’s International Service Committee, we are able to join Houston’s “Books for the World” program. Since 2000, they have shipped 12 million pounds of books to schools in Africa and India. We are just starting in their program, but we hope to be able to collect and ship a truck-load to them at least annually,” Crawford said.
The Rotary Club of Sedona is asking for assistance in getting the books to Houston. If anyone has a semi-truck or van to help transport the books, please contact John Crawford at: john@uscrawford.com.
