Heart Stirring Moments

Book Buddies favorite “heart stirring” moments – By Kellie Cairns “The Book Lady”

“I gave a backpack filled with books to a 9 year old, 4th grade student. She gave me a shy smile and returned to her seat, clutching the backpack. Her teacher whispered to me that that was the 1st time all semester the girl had smiled. When I asked why, she told me that 3 months prior her 16 year old brother had been walking her to McDonalds and was gunned down in the parking lot, mistaken for a gang member (although he was not) He had died there and his sister had not smiled since.”

“Raul & I were visiting a shelter in December, and we were giving the kids the “Matchbox” books, the ones with the story and the little cars attached. A little boy looked at us, took his book, and said, “Mommy told me that Santa probably wouldn’t come this year but you found me!”

“Book Buddies built 26 libraries in Boys & Girls Clubs in Southern California – each consisting of 500 books each. One day I was doing a follow up visit – a woman stopped me in the parking lot and asked if I was the “lady that brought the books” When I told her I was, she threw her arms around me and gave me a hug that knocked the wind out of me. She told me that her son now came to the library after school and “wasn’t hanging around the streets – up to no good” and she could sleep at night knowing that he was safe during the day while she had to work.”

“Nancy Foster, First Lady of Long Beach (wife of Mayor Bob Foster) came to me in 2006. Every year the city of Long Beach had a Christmas party for the homeless in a park and the previous year Santa had run out of toys. She asked if Book Buddies could provide “back up books” so this wouldn’t happen again. She was expecting 1,000 kids. We donated 1,000 books so every child could have a book and a toy, and had an extra 500 books there as “back ups” At the event, we watched children leave with their toy tucked safely under their arms, and they were reading their books as they walked away.”

Christmas 2008, we donated 2,000 books as the event has grown.

“Last summer we visited Camp Summersault, a camp for kids with cancer. We formed circles and took turns reading books to the kids. Then we invited the kids to read to the others. Kids were laughing and reading in funny voices, when it was over, one bald, sweet 8 year old boy told me, “Gee, I forgot for awhile that I am sick”

“The flu season was approaching and Book Buddies was participating in flu shot clinics in downtown Los Angeles. Shots were being given at mobile medical stations in the Skid Row district and we were giving books to children. One little boy bravely took his shot and happily accepted his book and ran back to his parents. A few minutes later he came back and rolled up his sleeve again. When I told him he already had his shot – he said, “I know – but can I have another so I can get the Barbie book with stickers for my little sister?” We laughed and gave him the extra book, no shot required.”

“We were visiting a K-8 school in Compton – I had heard that the school was having wonderful results from the students, despite being in one of the most poverty stricken areas of Los Angeles. The principal confessed that she had a washer/dryer on campus and would frequently launder donated clothes so that some of the students would have clean clothes to wear. Many of the students were homeless or lived in cars with their families. “

We made sure that each of the 1,238 students at the school received a brand new book. Three days later the principal walked into our warehouse with a large cardboard box, decorated with hearts. Inside were 1,238 thank you notes – every single child had written us to thank us for the books – from the simplest drawings from the kindergartners – to essays from the 8th graders. It took us hours to read them – it was one of the best days we ever had.

“About two years ago a shy, quiet boy named Charles enrolled in my third grade at St. Albert the Great School. I quickly noticed that he had much difficulty reading. This was a bit puzzling because he expressed that he liked stories about animals. When I read to the class he listened earnestly. He could recall all the events and was able to express his feelings or opinion of the characters. However, he became silent when it was his turn to read.

Charles seemed sad and withdrawn when he had to read aloud or share the responsibility to report for his group. Very often he kept extremely quiet and would not speak unless he was called upon. I took an interest in him and noticed that he was more relaxed and sometimes seemed enthusiastic when I read and he listened to the stories. He expressed one day that the stories were so great that he wanted to be able to read them on his own.

At times he got tired of the books he had at home even some in the classroom weren’t that interesting. Then came along Book Buddies, this brought about a transformation in Charles.

He had never seen so many cool books before. His eyes lit up when I informed him that all of the books were his to keep. Since that day Charles tries to read as often as possible. He is no longer afraid to attack new words. Reading aloud in his group and being helped by his friends has become a fun activity for Charles. He is no longer afraid of any books. Each time he sees a story book, in his mind he is looking at a buddy. His story book is like his friend. Each is important in its own way. “