By Julian MITCHELL

The Glendale Kiwanis Club recently unveiled its first children’s book box. The club, in partnership with The Literacy Club, organized a new book box in conjunction with the Holy Family Church and schools.

“The box is here to get books into the community,” said Jean Chadwick, president of the Literacy Club.

The box was unveiled by Glendale Kiwanis Club President Stacey Gin Nishi and blessed by Holy Family Deacon Ron Baker.

According to Chadwick, the book box will help youth in the area gain access to literature since resources for books are hard to come by.

“We’re seeding the book desert,” said Chadwick. In particular, she hopes the book box will help underprivileged children by providing them with opportunities to read that they might not have elsewhere.

Chadwick is no stranger to the benefits of having access to literature. She was homeless at one time and found refuge between the pages of books.

The box was created with a “Jungle Book” theme, as requested by the Glendale Kiwanis Club. Users of the book box are free to take books as they like and donate books as well. Students of the Holy Family Builder’s Club, an extension of Kiwanis, will be responsible for upkeep of the box and the supply of books.

The box should be well-stocked for the time being as over five boxes of books were donated on the box’s first day in business.

There are other book boxes in the area and each has a certain theme. Artist and Kiwanian Jen Swain was asked to do a “Jungle Book” theme. The yellow and green box features “Jungle Book” characters seen climbing around the sides of the box.

“It was fun [to make],” said Swain. “I love the program.” Swain noted that she chose yellow as a primary color so as to convey a “bright” and “fun” atmosphere of the box.

Despite the rainy days recently, the box has been protected from the weather and features a large roof to cover the box in its entirety.

Glendale Kiwanis is planning to provide two more book boxes this year. The existing book box is located on the opposite corner from Holy Family Church at 209 E Lomita Ave., Glendale.

  Julian MITCHELL