Archive for the ‘Volunteering’ Category

Public Relations – The Giving Circle needs someone dedicated to external communications. This person would need to write press releases from content provided by members of the Board (approximately every 4-6 weeks), maintain a press list and spend some time developing those relationships so our press is published.  There are not a lot of meetings associated with this and the work can be done from your home during whatever hours make sense for you.  Great for someone someone who is taking a career break but wants to keep one foot in the field or someone who already writes well but wants to learn PR work.  Interested? Know someone who would be good at this?  Contact Jane Knops.

Members to serve on work groups for 2010-2011 Priority Community Gifts.  Choose from:

Thank you! Thank you!

The Giving Circle and Wright to Read produced nearly 800 book packs for the needy children of Alexandria.   Thanks so much to those who donated books or money to purchase books.  To reach our goal of 1,200 packs, we still need your help.

We are looking for 450 new or gift quality book donations for students going into Kindergarten, 4th grade and 5th grade.  While you are spring cleaning, please search your bookcase for books to donate (or visit a local bookstore), and look for these types of books:

Going to Kindergarten, need about 100 books – board books, books with a few words or one sentence on each page, rhyming books, and vocabulary building books.   Dr. Seuss beginner books and books with Kindergarten in the title are great.

Going to 4th Grade, need about 200 books – the earliest solid chapter books. Charlotte’s Web and Ralph S. Mouse books are good choices.

Going to 5th Grade, need about 150 books – chapter books and biographies.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Roald Dahl books (such as James and the Giant Peach) are good choices. We have received many “girly” books at this level and could use some Hardy Boys books to balance.

Drop off your book donations at the Wright to Read offices at 414 N. Washington Street from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.  Or email Tricia Karppi to make arrangements for the books to be picked up from your house. Packs are distributed in late May and early June.

Thank you!!

Thank you for all your donations and support for Basket for Books! We are still short of our of 1200 Book Packs.  There are THREE easy ways to help:

1) DONATE BOOKS. Here’s the list of books we need and there are several ways to help gather the books:

• Donate new and gift quality used books (without torn pages or writing) appropriate for K-6th grades.

• Purchase new books for the book drive at Hooray for Books in Old Town.  Make your purchase by phone or in person and receive a 15% discount by mentioning “Summer Reading Packs.”  Hooray for Books will store the books and deliver them to the Book Sort for you.  How easy is that?  HOORAY!

• Purchase new books from your favorite retailer.

Drop off your books, or have them shipped to Wright to Read, 414 N. Washington St., Ste.101, Alexandria, VA 22314. 703-299-9855. Note this is a NEW LOCATION.

2) TOO BUSY TO SHOP?  CONSIDER A MONETARY DONATION. Since Wright to Read can purchase books at a deep discount, your donation goes a lot farther!  Each summer reading pack costs about $6.00.  Email me, Tricia Karppi, to let me know how much you would like to contribute. Make your check out to The Giving Circle / ACT, write “Baskets for Books” in the memo line and mail it to me at 8206 Collingwood Court, Alexandria, Va 22308.

3)  Join other Giving Circle Members at the Book Sort and Pack on Sunday, March 14 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Wright to Read, 414 N. Washington St., Suite 101. Volunteers may park in the lot behind the building.  Enter the parking lot from Columbus Street, then walk through the covered garage and through the red door to enter the building.

Thank you for your support and I hope to see you on Sunday!

Only a couple more weeks left in our annual book drive with Wright to Read and we still have a lot of work to do!  The goal is 1200 summer reading packs for Alexandria children. There are several ways to help:

GATHER BOOKS FOR THE BOOK DRIVE
Donate new or used gift-quality books appropriate for K through 6th grades, purchase books at Hooray for Books (15% discount when you mention “summer reading packs”) and let them store and deliver them for you, or purchase books from your favorite retailer. Find out more about donating books.

COME TO BASKETS FOR BOOKS TO RAISE MONEY

PACK AND SORT BOOKS:

When you sponsor a book for an entire grade, Wright to Read purchases 150 copies of that book to be included in the Summer Reading Packs. Check out the details and donation levels.

Support the Giving Circle and Wright to Read Book Drive.  Three easy ways to participate this week!

1) Basket for Books is this SUNDAY, February 28 at Burgundy Farm Country Day School from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Join Giving Circle Members and their families for an afternoon of shooting hoops and other basketball games to raise money for books.   Download and print a form to sponsor your children in these games. Wright to Read gets a great price on books from Scholastic so your contribution goes a long way for a good cause.

2) Can’t come to Baskets for Books?  Donate new and gift quality used books (without torn pages or writing) appropriate for K-6th grades. Check out the list, then purchase new books at Hooray for Books in Old Town by phone or in person. Mention “Summer Reading Packs” and receive a 15% discount.  Hooray for Books will store the books for you and deliver to the Book Sort.  You may also shop online or in person at your favorite retailer.  Drop off or have your books ship to Wright to Read , 414 N. Washington St., Ste.101, Alexandria, VA 22314, 703-299-9855.  This is a NEW LOCATION.

3) Too busy digging out from snow to shoot hoops or go shopping? Consider a flat donation to Basket for Books. Wright to Read will use all money received to buy books for summer reading packs!  Email me, Tricia Karppi, to let me know how much your would like to contribute. Make your check out to The Giving Circle / ACT, write “Baskets for Books” in the memo line and mail it to me at 8206 Collingwood Court, Alexandria, Va 22308.

Thank you for your support and I hope to see you on Sunday!

Give the gift of literacy by supporting the Giving Circle of Alexandria’s annual book drive with Wright to Read.  The book drive runs from February 1 through March 14.  The goal is to collect books for 1200 summer reading packs to be distributed to City of Alexandria students.  What can you do to help?

GATHER BOOKS FOR THE BOOK DRIVE

Here’s the list of books we need and there are several ways to help gather the books:

• Donate new and gift quality used books (without torn pages or writing) appropriate for K-6th grades.  Bring your books to

• Purchase new books for the book drive at Hooray for Books in Old Town.  Make your purchase by phone or in person and receive a 15% discount by mentioning “Summer Reading Packs.”  Hooray for Books will store the books and deliver them to the Book Sort for you.  How easy is that?  HOORAY!

• Purchase new books from your favorite retailer.

Drop off your books, or have them shipped to Wright to Read, 414 N. Washington St., Ste.101, Alexandria, VA 22314. 703-299-9855. Note this is a NEW LOCATION.

COME TO BASKETS FOR BOOKS TO RAISE MONEY:

Join Giving Circle Members and their families for an afternoon of shooting hoops and other basketball games as they raise money to purchase books for the Book Drive.  Wright to Read can purchase books at a steep discount ,so money raised at these events will go a long way to helping us meet our goal of 1200 summer reading packs.  You may also bring your own book donations to these events.

• Sunday, February 28 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Burgundy Farm Country Day School
• Saturday, March 6 from 10:00 am to 12:00 before the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at the home of Jenny Considine, Jefferson Court, (between S. Pitt & S. Royal off of Wilkes St.)
• Hold your own Baskets for Books event.  Contact Tricia Karppi to find out how!

PACK AND SORT BOOKS:

Join us Sunday, March 14 from 1-4 pm to pack and sort the books into the summer reading packs.  Location: TBA.