MEDIA CONTACT: Dr. Martha Gurwit
(239) 772-2467
FOUNDATION FOR LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM SEEKS HELP WITH BOOKS FOR TROOPS PROJECT
June 11, 2004 (Fort Myers, Florida) -- The Foundation for the Lee County Library System is spearheading an initiative called "Books for Troops" to collect new or used paperbacks to be sent to our men and women serving in the armed forces overseas. The Foundation has collected several boxes of paperbacks, courtesy of the Friends of the Cape Coral Library, and is now seeking names and addresses of individual soldiers to receive packages of paperback books.
Dr. Martha Gurwit, Foundation President, explains that individual names and addresses are required in order for the books to make it into the hands of the soldiers. “We thought we might be able to send them to various APO addresses for distribution to everyone there, but we found out that, for security reasons, parcels will need to be addressed to specific persons,” says Gurwit.
Anyone who would like to suggest names and addresses for this project may contact Dr. Gurwit at (239) 772-2467. Donations of new or gently used paperback books will be considered. A phone call to Dr. Gurwit will help determine whether the books are in proper condition and of a popular subject matter for the troops. Please do not drop off books for this project at the library. An appointment must first be made for a Foundation member to meet the donor at a library to accept the books. Lee County Library System Director Cynthia Cobb has offered the use of Library Processing to pack and ship these books to the APO addresses at book rate postage paid by the Foundation.
Gurwit adds, “The Foundation appreciates the community’s participation in this project and hopes the books might boost morale for U.S. troops and serve as a token of appreciation from folks at home.”