It is part of a District-wide Caught You Reading program, which launched in February, and Rob's Books, the brainchild of Robert and Tami Erickson. It’s a foundation they established to fund books for the schools’ libraries. They are working with area organizations and partnering with Lapeer Community Schools.
The foundation is named in memory of Tami’s son, Spc. Rob Hornbeck, who was tragically killed in an accident after returning from Iraq almost five years ago. Rob was a 2001 Lapeer East graduate, and an avid reader. Stepdad Bob Erickson describes Rob, “A really bright kid — just loved to read.”
“This program is unusual because 100 percent of proceeds go toward buying books,” says K-12 English Language Arts Consultant Lisa Madden. Another feature that is welcome for many parents: There are no catalogs to peruse or gifts to buy. “It’s all online contributions, which makes it nice for people who don’t want to buy something or feel pressured to buy,” Madden says.
The fundraising campaign is being run in partnership with Jacksonville, Ill.-based Perma-Bound Books, a provider of books and teaching materials to schools and libraries worldwide. All of the money donated through Book Boosters will go toward purchasing books from the company.
Like many other school districts, Lapeer Community Schools has faced budget cuts in recent years and is currently developing next year’s budget with an anticipated 20% cut in funding. That makes fundraising campaigns like Book Boosters especially important for students and educators, Madden says. “Certainly, something like Book Boosters can help us get the resources we need but would otherwise have to forgo,” she says. “Such a program can really make a big difference, especially in times like these.”
For more information, contact Lisa Madden at 810-538-1647 or via email at lmadden@lapeeerschools.org or visit the Lapeer Community Schools Book Boosters web page at www.book-boosters.com/caughtyoureading.
