Officer Tommy Norman is promoting and chairing the very worthwhile "A Bookcase for Every Child" reading initiative. Officer Norman hopes to get our neighborhood involved in helping North Little Rock kids get a positive start reading books.
Volunteers build oak bookcases – with individualized name plates – containing at least eight books to give to 3 to 5 year old children of lower income families. Syndicated columnist Jim Davidson of Conway started the project to stimulate early age reading. Proceeds from local sales of his book of collected columns contributes to this important community project.
Officer Norman states "My main goal is to include everybody – firefighters, police officers, city employees and just your average citizen ... it takes a village to raise a child."
This project lends itself to a variety of volunteer skills – from those with ability to use a table saw for construction of bookcases to those participating in weekly reading sessions at local Head Start locations and those donating books. New books or books in good condition can be dropped off at City Hall, the City Service Building, the Patrick Henry Hays Senior citizen Center, The Times office, Twin City Bank or Bank of the Ozarks where donation boxes are available.
If you wish to give back to our community and follow his leadership, contact Officer Norman at 366-4330 for further information.
Jo Melton
5 comments:
What can you say? Another example of Officer Norman's personal community spirit up front and exposed for everyone to appreciate as well as to become involved with! Next time you catch him (as well as his fellow NLR Police Officers) out on patrol be sure to give um a big friendly wave! They're goal is to serve us when on duty while following Officer Tommy Norman's fine personal example of going the extra mile, too! Thank you, Officer Norman, for all you do on our behalf. We are hopeful you meet with much success in both building bookcases as well as our community spirit!
Officer Tommy Norman is a real star in my book! I have seen him at work with kids and the community for quite a while. He has a real heart for helping. There are many other police officers who are as committed as Officer Norman. We salute you all!
Tommy is a fine example of leadership for youth in our community. Please feel free to utilize our blog at www.NLRYouthServices.blogspot.com for information.
Steve Nawojczyk
Mayor's Office of Youth Services
YouthServices@northlittlerock.ar.gov
It would seem to me that the gift of books would be better than the gift of a book case. Kids don't need nor especially want furniture.
To Holyguano: You're right on! The kids won't need a bookcase if there isn't any books for them to place on the shelves after reading or to be read! Books come first!
However I believe that if I was a kid having a bookcase with my name plate on it and it being mostly empty, I would want to fill it up with books that I had read. I would feel positive everytime I looked at those books on the shelves, and would want to fill more shelves with the joy of reading! A bookcase allows the child to "own into" the program - helping them to keep focus and providing a sense of accomplishment!
Plus building bookcases helps us adults to maintain focus and a sense of accomplishment, too! It's a win-win program for everyone in our community! But first, please donate so we can then fill their bookcases to start them off right!
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