Woodworker Built Bookcases for Schools & Students The Village Woodworkers Club has a special community project building bookcases to assist with raising literacy in local area grade schools. Hardwood bookcases are built and donated to the school students designated by their Grade School Principal. Each bookcase is also supplied with appropriate reading level books and given to the student to keep in their home. Books are donated by local area groups and school book drives. This bookcase & books program, and other programs like it, have provided substantial motivation to students to improve their reading skills and literacy. Students, family members and family friends typically add additional books to their new "home library". The donated bookcases and books can have a large benefit in the local community. The Bookcases & Books Literacy Project was started By Richard (Dick)Herrmann and lead by Dick until his unexpected death. Dick was inspired by a literacy improvement project started by Jim Davidson, a self syndicated columnist in Conway, AR. You can read more about Jim's project details by going to website address: www.jimdavidsoncolumn.com and clicking on the "Bookcase Literacy Project" Button The Bookcases Project is one of the continuing community service projects approved by the Village Woodworkers Club Board of Directors. Currently the project is managed by the club's Project Director, Lee Smith. The books that are included with the bookcase awards are school purchased with Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) grants that are coordinated by Dave Kariker. Bookcases are made by the club's "Truck" Toy Team and addtional club volunteers. Pictured is one of the motivated reading improvement students with his bookcase & books. Paragraphs are identified below for each school and students bookcases donation event and associated pictures. Thanks to Dave Kariker for the school events pictures. Click below on the various titled paragaph links to see bookcase donation pictures and student receipents of bookcases and books that belong to them to keep in their home. Click on this link to see student thank you letters : Student Bookcase Thank You Letters

Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) Book Grants

Again in 2009, the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) made a generous $1,000 grant for the purchase of books included with bookcase awards. To maximize the book buying power of the HSACF grant, the club writes two $500 checks to the Fountain Lake and Jessieville Primary School Districts. Each School District Libarian is then able to make volume purchases of special priced books from school book distributors. The Librarians, Principals and associated teachers place age and reading level appropriate books in each bookcase awarded in the school's most improved reading program. The HSACF funded books combined with the bookcases are powerful reading improvement incentives to Fountain Lake and Jessieville grade school students.

Spring 2009 Jessieville School Bookcases & Books Awards The Village Woodworkers built oak bookcases. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop, Bob Porter & Lee Smith for leading the project and the Truck Toy Team and volunteer woodworkers for building the 9 awarded bookcases. Thanks also to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) that provided grant funds for the purchase of new books that were included in the awards to 9 deserving students. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Jessieville grade school students on 5/28/09 by Mr Crumpler, the Primary School Principal and Denise Smith, the Jessieville Elementary Librarian. They selected the students based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the presentation pictures in the school gym: Spring 2009 Jessieville Bookcase Awards Pictures

Spring 2009 Fountain Lake School Bookcases & Books Awards The Village Woodworkers built 36 oak bookcases. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop, Bob Porter & Lee Smith for leading the project and the Truck Toy Team and volunteer woodworkers for building the awarded bookcases. Thanks also to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) that provided grant funds for the purchase of new books that were included in the awards to 36 deserving students. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Fountain Lake primary school students on 5/26/09 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see an example presentation picture: Spring 2009 Fountain Lake Bookcase Awards Picture

Spring 2008 Jessieville School Bookcases & Books Awards The Village Woodworkers built solid oak bookcases. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop, Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project and the Truck Toy Team for building the 9 awarded bookcases. Thanks also to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) that provided grant funds for the purchase of new books that were included in the awards to 9 deserving students. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Jessieville grade school students on 5/23/08 by Mr Crumpler, the Primary School Principal and Denise Smith, the Jessieville Elementary Librarian. They selected the students based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the presentation pictures in the school gym: Spring 2008 Jessieville Bookcase Awards Pictures

Spring 2008 Fountain Lake School Bookcases & Books Awards The Village Woodworkers built 18 solid oak bookcases. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop, Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project and the Truck Toy Team for building the bookcases. Thanks also to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) that provided grant funds for the purchase of new books that were included in the awards to 18 deserving students. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Fountain Lake kindergarden and first grade school students on 5/22/08 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the classroom presentation pictures: Spring 2008 Fountain Lake Bookcase Awards Pictures

March 2008 Fountain Lake Second Grade School Bookcases & Books Awards The Village Woodworkers built solid oak bookcases during the 2007 Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop, Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project and the Truck Toy Team for building the 12 awarded bookcases. Thanks also to the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation (HSACF) that provided grant funds for the purchase of new books that were included in the awards to 16 deserving students. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Fountain Lake second grade school students on 3/20/08 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the classroom presentation pictures: 3/08 Fountain Lake Second Grade School Bookcases & Books Awards Pictures

Spring 2007 Fountain Lake Kindergarden Bookcase Awards The Village Woodworkers built small maple bookcases during the 2007 Spring. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. The bookcases and donated books were presented to selected Fountain Lake kindergarden class students on 5/31/07 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit.

Spring 2007 Jessieville Bookcase Awards The Village Woodworkers built small maple bookcases during the 2007 Spring. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Jessieville grade school students on 5/24/07 by Mr Crumpler, the Primary School Principal and Denise Smith, the Jessieville Elementary Librarian. They selected the students based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the presentation pictures in the school gym: Spring 2007 Jessieville Bookcase Awards Pictures

Spring 2007 Fountain Lake Grade School Small Bookcase Donations The Village Woodworkers built small oak and maple bookcases during the 2006 Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. The bookcases and donated books were presented to Fountain Lake grade school students on 3/23/07 by Mr Freeman, the Primary School Principal. The students were selected by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see the 13 presentation pictures: Spring 2007 Fountain Lake Bookcase & Books Presentation Pictures

Winter 2007 Fountain Lake Grade School Small Bookcase Donations The Village Woodworkers built small oak and maple bookcases during the 2006 Fall and Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. Ten small bookcases were donated to Fountain Lake second grade students in January 2007. The students were identified by Fountain Lake School management based on reading improvement merit. Click on this link to see various pictures taken during this Fountain Lake School bookcases and books donation event: Winter 2007 Fountain Lake Bookcase Donation Pictures

Winter 2007 Jessieville Grade School Small Bookcase Donations The Village Woodworkers built small oak and maple bookcases during the 2006 Fall and Winter. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. Thanks to the HSV Optimists Club for the books in these awards. Eight small bookcases were donated to Fountain Lake second grade students in February 2007. The students were identified by Jessieville Grade School management. Click on this link to see various pictures taken in the Jessieville Grade School Cafeteria during this bookcases and books donation event: Winter 2007 Jessieville Bookcase Donation Pictures

2006 Fountain Lake Grade School Library Bookcases The Village Woodworkers built 10 large oak bookcases during the 2006 Fall. Thanks to Don Williams for hosting this project in his workshop and to Bookcase Chairman Dick Herrmann for leading the project. These bookcases were donated to the Fountain Lake School District in December 2006. Click on this link to see pictures of these bookcases in the Fountain Lake Grade School Library: Fountain Lake Grade School Library Bookcases Pictures