Girl Scouts Bring Books to the Community

Greenwich, CT (June 3, 2020) – Families collecting lunch from the Greenwich Public School District this week will also find Greenwich Girl Scouts offering free books for all ages. Girl Scout Troop 50681 North Mianus School is taking the term “Book Drive” to another level by physically driving books to the stops along the school bus routes. The thirteen North Mianus School fifth grade Girl Scouts were looking for a way they could help in the wake of COVID-19. The Girl Scouts realized with libraries currently closed, and school ending soon, many children would not have access to books this summer so the troop decided to take action.
Girl Scout Troop 50681 began gathering books from their own homes, then expanded collection to neighboring houses by leaving notes in mailboxes or posts on their parents’ social media pages. The girls also placed collection boxes in front of the Town of Greenwich Board of Education building to allow for even more donations. After a short time, the Girl Scouts’ simple book drive turned into a library of 4000 books. To ensure everyone’s safety, the Girl Scouts wiped down every book with sanitizer and catalogued the books by reading ability from early learning to adult.
The 4000 donated books are now available for free via the Greenwich Public School breakfast/lunch pick-up program. Girl Scout Troop 50681 will follow a different school bus route each day and set up book bins for browsing behind the bus at every stop. The fifth grade Girl Scouts will wear masks, observe social distancing rules and offer hand sanitizer to book browsers.​

The first day of distribution took place on Tuesday, June 2nd along Bus Route 1.
“Parents and kids were able to take as many books as they wanted thanks to the generous donations we received. Parents were so grateful to be able to get free books for their children, especially now since the public libraries in town are closed. Parents took books for infants all the way up to adult books for themselves. The girls liked recommending books to families and seeing them excited to go home and read” said Girl Scout troop co-leader Jenn Donat.
Girl Scout Troop 50681 will continue offering books on Wednesday, June 3rd along Route 2, and on Thursday, June 4th on Route 3. For information on where you can find the book stops contact Greenwich Girl Scouts at gsofgreenwich@gmail.com or visit the Greenwich Girl Scout website at www.greenwichgirlscouts.com
Girl Scout Troop 50681 plans to use this community project toward their Bronze Award, the highest Girl Scout award for Girl Scout Juniors in fourth and fifth grade. To learn how your G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)TM can make the world a better place, visit http://www.gsofct.org/join
Routes:
June 2nd, Route 1:
10:45am: Central Middle School Front Circle 11:15am: Julian Curtiss School Front Circle 11:40am: Wilbur Peck front parking lot
12:05pm: Town Hall (by deliveries – main visitor lot)
June 3rd, Route 2:
11:00am: Glenville Elementary School Front Circle
11:30am: Hamilton Avenue, Parking Lot
12:00pm: Armstrong Court (in front of the handicapped parking spaces) 12:30pm: New Lebanon School, Parking Lot
12:55pm: Western Middle School, Front Circle
June 4th, Route 3
11:00am Eastern Middle School, Front Parking Lot
11:25am Adams Garden (In front of the Community Building)

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