News
	LREI Literary Outreach to Louisiana

The LREI Literary Committee expanded its initiative during the 2005-06 school year to reach out to the schools in and around New Orleans that suffered as a result of Hurricane Katrina.   Through personal contacts initiated by Meri Lobel and Dovie F. Wingard, the committee identified 2 schools in immediate need: the Scottlandville K-8 School in East Baton Rouge Parish, set up to accommodate some of the families who had fled New Orleans and the Grace King High School in Metairie, just across the 17th Street Canal, upriver from New Orleans with a large and diverse group of students.

A group of students in Louisiana reading books donated by LREI.

We contacted the schools in September and asked how we could help. Phyllis Heroy, library supervisor for at Scottlandville and Vickie Kennedy at Grace King told us they needed books for their drowned library and new classrooms.   It wasn't a matter of just sending a check.   They had nowhere to go to buy anything.   They couldn't order books online because no deliveries were being made.   We asked the schools for a "wish list" and mounted a book drive.   

The LREI community responded immediately and generously with new and used books, some specifically requested by the schools.   Books were piled in the lobbies of both the Bleecker Street and Charlton Street locations.   The overflow was deposited into Phil Kassen's office and the libraries.   Then it was a matter of finding a way to transport the mountains of books collected.

The answer came in the person of Scott Ferguson, new literary committee member and an evacuee from New Orleans himself.   Scott had a friend with a truck transporting equipment to Louisiana for a film shoot.   In October, the committee packed 31 boxes and shipped 1,240 pounds (1/2 ton plus) to the 2 schools.  

In addition, thanks to LREI families who shopped at the holiday book fair in December, 110 books (10 copies of 11 books from the 2 schools' wish lists) were mailed in individually pre-addressed envelopes directly to the schools.   When we followed up after the holidays, Vickie Kennedy at Grace King High School, suggested we "spread the wealth around" and send some books to one of the even more needy New Orleans schools reopening in January.

Barbara MacPhee, principal of the New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School, reported that her school had no electricity and was badly damaged, so they   relocated to a 1926 building that had survived the storm.   They reopened on January 9, 2006.   In February we sent 50 copies of "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson for use in a science class (see photo above of students in new orleans reading the books we sent.)

The money raised to fund these outreach efforts came in part from the proceeds from the literary evening in December which featured writers linked to the Gulf Coast by heritage, passion and literature. Dovie F. Wingard contacted Rosemary James, founder/owner of   Faulkner House Books in New Orleans who helped to track down authors who were in and around NYC or willing to travel to be with us on December 8th for the event.   Susie Marples and Judy D'Mello, another new member of the Literary Committee, played a major role in contacting additional authors and coordinating the Literary Evening.    We were pleased to host:   Roy A. Blount, Jr., Valerie Martin, Ron Price, Julia Reed, Rob Walker, and Ken Wells.   They helped LREI make a difference to 3 schools in Louisiana.   

Our communication with these schools is ongoing, as is their need. The LREI Literary Committee plans to send more books in the fall for the 2006-07 school year.   And, with the outstanding support of the entire LREI community, we will continue to make a difference.