Reading Changed My Life - Townsend Press

Reading Changed My Life! Three True StoriesGod would plant a seed in that young man’s heartthat would grow into something positive. If not, atleast Julia would know that she’d tried.“Maybe I’d see that young man again, dying onthe street. Maybe I’d be the one to hear his lastwords,” Julia says. “If I had to be tough, I wastough. But I always tried to treat people the way I’dwant an officer to treat my own child.”After the Christmas book giveaway, the Cops ’nKids program began to take on a life of its own. Thelocal newspaper, the Journal-Times, did a storyabout Julia’s efforts. In response, individual andcommunity groups called to ask how they couldhelp. Some businesses held drives to collect usedbooks. Others donated money. Individuals volunteeredtheir time to help sort the books. Police officersloaded bags of books into their squad carsevery morning. They gave them out in local parks,on patrol, and on calls. Children who had formerlybeen afraid of the police began chasing squad cars74