JACKSON, Tenn. — March 2, 2004 — Members of 51社区鈥檚 Students in Free Enterprise are collecting books for underprivileged children through the 鈥淭each a Child to Learn, Teach a Child to Earn鈥� project.
SIFE is asking for books for 40 preschoolers, 48 kindergarteners, 33 first graders, 30 second graders, 32 third graders, 45 fourth graders and 25 fifth graders. They also are collecting small toys, coloring books, crayons and new stuffed animals.
For some of these children, the books donated by SIFE are the only books they own, said Kimberly Whaley, SIFE president and senior accounting major. Many of these children live downtown in the area hardest hit by the tornado last May.
鈥淲e love going to see these kids and helping them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we do it, because we love these kids so much and want to help them out.鈥�
The book distribution is part of the school鈥檚 reading program, in which children earn points for books they read. The points are converted to 鈥淪IFE dollars,鈥� which the students use to buy the books SIFE collects.
This is the fourth year SIFE has led this project. Last year, they distributed more than 1,200 books to children at Whitehall Elementary.
The books must be collected by Wednesday, March 3, and they will be distributed to students at Whitehall Elementary School Friday, March 5. For more information, call the SIFE office at (731) 661-5334.