When Joann Reichling's grandson Kehl Mandt e-mailed that he needed books for a public library in the Philippines, where he's stationed with the Peace Corps, she started sending them



The group called the project "Bucks for Books." "We have books, but we always need more," Hirsbrunner said. Now, they need money cover shipping costs. A fund-raiser will be at 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at First Banking Center, Darlington. Reichling already shipped about nine boxes of books, many culled from libraries in Wisconsin, to her grandson. The original project, a children's library in the small village where Mandt works, eight hours north of Manila, is complete. Now, the books are headed for school libraries in the Philippines.

When Joann Reichling's grandson Kehl Mandt e-mailed that he needed books for a public library in the Philippines, where he's stationed with the Peace Corps, she started sending them

Books going to a good cause
Published Friday, October 6, 2006 11:50:20 PM Central Time

By Dean Dickel

Special to the Times

DARLINGTON -- When Joann Reichling's grandson Kehl Mandt e-mailed that he needed books for a public library in the Philippines, where he's stationed with the Peace Corps, she started sending them.

And the Darlington woman kept sending them, at a cost of about $50 a box for postage.

To be able to send even more books, she approached the Home and Community Education groups.

It's a project Ruth Hirsbrunner, Lafayette County HCE international chairwoman, couldn't resist. A retired teacher, Hirsbrunner taught in Saudi Arabia and other countries.

The group called the project "Bucks for Books."

"We have books, but we always need more," Hirsbrunner said.

Now, they need money cover shipping costs.

A fund-raiser will be at 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at First Banking Center, Darlington.

Reichling already shipped about nine boxes of books, many culled from libraries in Wisconsin, to her grandson.

The original project, a children's library in the small village where Mandt works, eight hours north of Manila, is complete. Now, the books are headed for school libraries in the Philippines.

Any kind of book is needed and since schools teach in English, books from the United States are welcomed.

The books Philippines schools have now are "old and falling apart," Mandt said.

Reichling said classes number 50 to 70 students each. "They are more than happy to share textbooks, six people to a book without complaining," Mandt told his grandmother.

"If a person wants to donate books, it's great. But it costs about $1 a pound to send the books. Really that's the big thing," Reichling said.

Entertainment during the fund-raiser includes bagpipes, Cornish music, square dancing, bluegrass and Native American folklore.

"All performers have donated their time," Hirsbrunner added.

Light refreshments will be served, and door prizes will be awarded.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: October, 2006; COS - Philippines; Libraries

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