Local business holds book drive, benefits Roscoe Reading Program

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. –For the fourth year in a row now, Hometown Bath and Body is holding its special book drive to benefit the Roscoe Reading Program.

“We collect gently used books from folks who need to clean out their closets and book shelves,” said Cathy Cote, the store’s proprietor. “Once the book drive is complete, all donated books will be sorted by Roscoe volunteers, and any age appropriate books, second grade through fifth grade, will go to the students and all other books will be taken to book stores to exchange.”

The Roscoe Reading Program has been around since the mid 2000s and currently works with 14 schools across Berkeley County. The program brings therapy dogs to the schools to help motivate the children to read.  At the end of the nine week program, volunteers with the organization as well as their cute four-legged friends return for a party.

“Not only do we throw a party at the end of nine weeks for the student’s who have met the reading goals, but at

the end of the year we also award bikes and gift certificates to the student’s names who are taken out of a hat,” said Marietta Hicks, founder of Roscoe Reading Program.

For a student to be able to win a bike, they must earn a certain number of accelerated reading points. “Based on their grade, students can get their name in the hate for certain amount of points they receive. For example, second graders have to have twenty points to get their name in the hat,” said Hicks.

When a student’s name is drawn, they get to decide if they want their prize to be a bike or a $75 gift certificate to a place of their choosing.  Last year the program awarded approximately 114 prizes.

This is where Hometown Bath and Body comes in. The money raised from the exchange of books, at book stores, go to buying bikes and gift certificates.  Hicks says she is very grateful for Hometown Bath and Body’s sponsorship.

“Not only do they help us buy bikes and gift certificates, but they also help us get the word out to the community about the program,” said Hicks.

Along with collecting books, Hometown Bath and Body is holding a raffle, the prize a Vera Bradley backpack, with those proceeds also going to the program. As of today, the drive has collected over 500 books.

If you wold like to donate to the book drive, Hometown Bath and Body will still be collecting books until the fist weekend of April.

If you would also like to donate directly to the Roscoe Reading Program you can either e-mail Hicks at [email protected] or mail donations to P.O. Box 295, Moncks Corner, SC 29461.