Reading Changed My Life - Townsend Press

Julia BurneySears company had donated a complete computerlab. Even the smallest details had been taken careof, down to a basket of warm socks to cover the feetof little readers. Watching the video, Julia sobbedwith joy. Many people in the audience shared herhappy tears.The next June, the Cops ’n Kids Reading Centerofficially opened for business. And today, it is asbusy as it is beautiful. Racine’s children, from preschoolersthrough eighth-graders, stream throughits doors every day. More than 5,000 books arewaiting there for the children to read and borrow.Because the books are donated to the center, thechildren are not fined if they lose or damage one.That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s okay for thechildren to be careless with the books. “We talkabout the responsibility of keeping the book safe,”Julia explains. “We help the children learn to carefor books, but without a penalty. In that way, youcould think of us as a training library.”81