Summer is an exciting time for libraries across the country. We are no exception to that rule! (Our official summer reading and programming starts Saturday, June 11.) One of the pieces of our summer plans that has us the most excited is our annual donation drive.
At Tyson Library, we try to partner and serve our patrons and our community at-large. One way we are working to meet that on-going goal is with a summer-long donation drive benefitting another local non-profit. This year we are accepting items for Voices for Children SEI, Inc. of Batesville.
“CASAs — Voices for Children — provides much needed services to children going through such rough moments in their lives. We want to help in the small way we can to make their jobs, and the lives of those they serve, a little easier and with maybe a little more joy,” Children and Teen Programming Coordinator Aly Wright said of her choice to work with Voices for Children this year.
Voices for Children is the base of operations for Ripley County’s CASAs, court appointed special advocates. CASAs are adult volunteers trained as officers of the court by programs like Voices for Children. Their main duty is to represent the needs of children involved in the court system. CASAs are assigned to cases that may involve one child or a group of siblings, and some CASAs manage more than one case at a time. Oftentimes, they learn about other wants and needs of the local kids and teens they’re working for. Voices for Children has a care closet for these instances.
Voices for Children recently split operations with its sister chapter in Jefferson County, so their care closet needs some stock. We are hoping our summer donation drive will help fill this need for Voices for Children and the kids they serve. The care closet typically provides: hygiene items for kids and teens, games, and backpacks. But, sometimes kids want something that is a little more, but really isn’t much more than you would expect kids to want. These items include bikes, sports balls, books and journals, and light-up or musical toys.
We know times are getting more difficult for many, so we are asking for our community’s help as to bring smiles to some of the most vulnerable people in our area.
Here’s a full list of the items we are hoping to collect for Voices for Children this summer:
- Hygiene Products for Kids & Teens
- Backpacks
- Board Games
- Card Games
- Sports Balls
- Bikes & Bike
- Helmets
- Books
- Journals
- Baby Items: Board Books, Light-Up Toys, Musical Toys, Blocks, Pacifiers & Teething Rings
We are going to collect items now through our summer finale on Saturday, July 23. Items can be dropped off inside the library Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
To learn more about Voices for Children, go to www.voicesforchildren.net.
If you have any questions, please call us at 812-689-5894 or email info@tysonlibrary.org.