Lori Smith and Val Lund, co-directos of the Don Bosco Youth Center, browse through books Jan. 18 at Troost Avenue’s Salvation Army. Don Bosco was one of many recipients to benefit from the 90,000-book donations from Country Inns and Suites by Carlson. Leslie Collins

By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
Jan. 26, 2011

Carol Marinovich stood in Troost Avenue’s Salvation Army warehouse surrounded by stacks of books.

Titles ranged from Moon Over Manhattan to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and represented only a portion of the 90,000 books donated by Country Inns and Suites by Carlson to United Way of Greater Kansas City (UWGKC).

To date, it’s the largest book donation United Way has ever received.

“This is a gift that exceeds the retail value of the books,” said Marionvich, chair of UWGKC, during a press conference and book distribution Jan. 18. “These books will be going to nonprofit agencies that will use them as tools to help people learn to read, to help spark the imagination and curiosity of children, to provide entertainment for seniors who are isolated and lonely, and to help stock the shelves of libraries at alternative schools and community centers around the metro.”

The books came from Country Inns and Suites’ “Read It & Return It Lending Library,” which allows hotel guests to check out a book and return it on their next stay.

When Vice President of Marketing for Country Inns and Suites Aurora Toth learned of the company’s vast surplus of books stored in a Kansas City warehouse, she decided the books shouldn’t be wasted.

“(I thought) we need to donate these to charity,” Toth said.

More than 50 area organizations are benefitting from the book donation, including the Don Bosco centers, the Salvation Army, Swope Corridor Renaissance Upper Room Inc., among others.

Don Bosco received approximately 500 books, which will be used for its English as a Second Language Center, alternative charter high school, Youth Development Center and Family Support Center, said Don Bosco President Nicholas Scielzo.

“In today’s world, education is really everything,” Scielzo said. “The earlier children start to read, the more often they do read. It has a significant impact on their learning ability.

“It’s nice that Country Inns and Suites are making these books available not only to us, but to other agencies throughout the country.”

For Lori Smith and Val Lund, co-directors of Bosco’s Youth Development Center, the donation was pure serendipity.

Knowing their youth enjoy reading, they asked if the youth wanted to start a book club.

After the two explained the concept, the youth voiced interest.

“We thought, ‘Okay, how do we get a hold of 12 copies of one book and still stay within budget?’ It couldn’t have been better timing,” Smith said of the donation.

Together, they scoured the available titles and chose books centered around “adventures” and “personal explorations.” They chose books with characters who encountered new experiences and challenges.

Originally, they asked for 12 copies each, but United Way asked if they wanted more, and the two secured 20 to 25 copies of each title.

“The big thing I want our kids to walk away with is don’t give up,” Smith said. “You might have trials along the way, but you keep pressing, you continue down that path and you have some success to celebrate.”

Lund also hopes the book club opens the youth’s eyes to new places, gives them more confidence and encourages them to pursue their own interests and talents.

Both Lund and Smith emphasized they won’t force discussion topics for the twice-a-month book club.

It’s about hosting “organic discussions,” they said, and asking the youth how they identified with characters in the book.

“It’s about them going on the journey, reading this book together, and how their different life experiences allow them to see the characters travel through their journey differently,” Smith said.

The book club is open to seventh through 12th grades, and all are welcome to attend, regardless of income background and schools they attend.

Smith and Lund host after school activities at the youth center from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, call (816) 691-2976.