Reading Changed My Life - Townsend Press

Reading Changed My Life! Three True Storiescheck. During that appearance, she explained morefully what she hoped to do with the center. Shedescribed the comfortable furniture; the warm,inviting rooms; the computer lab; and the craftscenter that she hoped would eventually be part ofthe Center.With the “Use Your Life” money, Julia was ableto buy supplies for the renovation of the building.The Racine community came out in force to providevolunteer labor for the job. Many police officersand firefighters contributed their time.Members of the local labor unions worked for free.Businesses and churches raised funds for new windows.High school kids ripped out old drywall andpainted. Gradually, the run-down building becamea clean, solid home for Cops ’n Kids. There wasn’tmuch inside the building but books and some mismatchedfurniture, but it was a start.Then in March 2001, Julia got another call fromthe Oprah organization. The producers wanted herto be on the show again, they said, to update the78