ONGOING ACTIVITIES SINCE INCEPTION
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JANUARY
BOOKS-A-GO GO celebrates 8 years and over 850,000 books given to children in need! Thanks to all who have supported our efforts throughout the year.
March - Durbin Elementary School hosts a book drove for BOOKS-A-GO GO!
FEBRUARY
February - Book giveaway at The Teacher Supply Depot
February - Betty Metz. Founder and President of BOOKS-A-GO GO, has been selected as the Hero Next Door by ABC channel Wjxx. Chris Porter from Wjxx recognizes individuals who make a positive impact on their community. Metz is honored to accept this recognition.
JANUARY
January - Book Giveaway at the Teacher Supply Depot
BUZZ Box - BOOKS-A-GO GO was the inspiration for local artist Rosaly Natera's original painting of a BUZZ Box. The colors, and design are fabulous, an BOOKS-A-GO GO is hoping you will vote for our box to win the contest. GO TO: awarenesswithart.com/about-contest/ AND CAST YOUR VOTE!
DECEMBER
December - Book giveaway at the Teacher Supply Depot for Title 1 teachers.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is so pleased to be selected as the Holiday Charity for the Beaches Newcomers organization. Thank you for promoting literacy for ALL children!
NOVEMBER
November - Book giveaway at the Teacher Supply Depot for Title 1 teachers
November - Betty Metz, President, will speak at the PEO meeting in Jacksonville Fl.
Nov. the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS will collect books for BOOKS-A-GO GO at their home football game! BOOKS-A-GO GO is so proud to continue to work with the Jacksonville Jaguars to promote literacy, and support local children in need. GO JAGUARS!!!!
OCTOBER
October - Distribution at the Teacher Supply Depot for Title 1 teachers!
Many thanks to CITI for hosting a book drive for BOOKS-A-GO GO!!!!! Lot of great books collected!
September
Thanks to Finders Keepers Sale for designating BOOKS-A-GO GO as one of their selected charities to benefit from their sale this year at the Morocco Shrine.
Sept. - Free books for Title 1 Duval elementary school teachers at the Teacher Supply Depot in Jacksonville FL 3:00-6:00
Sept - Books-A-Million Book Fair
Hampton Glen is having a BOOKS-A-GO GO book drive in conjunction with the Clinton Family Fund.
August
Many thanks to the American Society of Military Comptrollers for collecting books for BOOKS-A-GO GO at their meeting.
BOOKS-A-GO GO partnered with the PGA to provide books to homeless children in St. John's County.
July
Many thanks to the generous employees from LPS, Fidelity, that hosted a book drive for BOOKS-A-GO GO.
JUNE
Thanks for the continued support of the Clinton Family Fund.
Thanks to the Axson school for their donation of books!
MAY
May - Many thanks to Books-A-Million (BAM), for hosting a book fair to benefit BOOKS-A-GO GO at its stores in Jacksonville Beach, Regency and Orange Park.
BOOKS-A-GO GO partnered with Jacksonville Country Day School to provide books for the students that attended their Writers Workshop.
APRIL
Many thanks to the JAGUAR FOUNDATION, and partners, EverBank, Pepsi, The Jim Moran Foundation, DuBow Family Foundation and THE PLAYERS for their donation of books to BOOKS-A-GO GO. These books will have a tremendous impact on thousands of children in need.
April is Jackson William Blairs 3rd birthday. The family and friends of Jackson thanks everyone who have donated to BOOKS-A-GO GO in his memory. "Books for Jackson" has provided thousands of books to children in need. Through this ongoing effort, Jackson's memory and spirit are kept alive.
MARCH
By Proclamation of Mayor Alvin Brown of Jacksonville Florida:
March is declared a BOOKS-A-GO GO MONTH in recognition of its 7th Anniversary and over 650,000 books given to children that cannot afford them.
March - Betty Metz, Founder and President of BOOKS-A-GO GO was a panelist at the Education Summit at the request of Education Commissioner Dr. Donnie Horner.
March - BOOKS-A-GO GO DAY!, as declared by Mayor Alvin Brown of Jacksonville FL
- Thanks to the Jacksonville Jewish Center for their continued support, and their month long book drive!!
March - BOOKS-A-GO GO will give out thousands of books to Title 1 Teachers at the Teacher Supply Depot Giveaway from 3:00-5:00. Please contact us for more information.
March - BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to have Book Fairs at the following Books-A-Million stores from 12:00 to 5:00.
FEBRUARY
BOOKS-A-GO GO will be providing children's books on hygeine that will by going to Santa Cruz, Honduras (360 population) . These books will be distributed to local schools as part of a clean water project that will bring clean chlorinated water to a spigot in each home, with water pipes, storage tanks and pressure breat boxes for the mountainous areas. This project is part of a joint project with the Rotary International, Peace Sorp, and the local NGO Water for Community Development. These books are being funded by Books for Jackson.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner with Project Makeover in Gainesville Florida. Every year, the students of University of Florida make over a school in the area serving low income children. BOOKS-A-GO GO will provide a new book to each student at Idylwood Elementary School for this wonderful effort by the students.
JANUARY
Many thanks to the children of the TIR program at Congregation Ahavath Chesed for the books they donated.
DECEMBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO will be the recipient of the BOOKS-A-MILLION Holiday Book/Toy Drive from December 1-24, for the stores in Jacksonville and Orange Park Florida. BAM!
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to support the holiday event for Bethel New Life in Chicago IL. on Dec. 15, 16 and 18. These books are part of BOOKS-A-GO GO's Books for Jackson program.
Many thanks to the women at St. John's Forest for the 1,000 books they collected for their first book drive for BOOKS-A-GO GO!
Jacksonville Country Day School provided so many books ffor their book collection from the Pre Primary Department!
NOVEMBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to be a part of the WORD OF ART, A Children's Book Fair & Literacy Family Day at The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens on November 17. Visitors will be able to purchase books for BOOKS-A-GO GO that will be given to local low income children.
Many Thanks to San Jose Episcopal for the great books from their Book Sale!
SEPTEMBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to partner with the PGA for their Back to School Resource Day with the St. John's County Education Foundation. This wonderful event targets children in need and the homeless children.
Many Thanks to The Deercreek Women's Alliance for their ongoing support. Their annual children's book drive collected over 1,500 books!
AUGUST
Congratulations to our Mission Possible Kids Book Drive Winner!!!
The MIssion Possible Kids chapter at the St. Barnabas United Methodist Church in Arlington Texas collected 1,692 books! Way to go!!!!!! BOOKS-A-GO GO will be sending books overseas in their honor to children living in poverty. Mission Possible Kids is a great organization the has kids making a difference in their community. BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to work with this great organization!
JULY
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to be selected as the Genentech CBO Annual Charity Drive, that is related to Books for Jackson.
Betty Metz visited the Gulf Coast to inform school districts of the Magic Tree House books available for their Title 1 classrooms. This trip included visits to Gulfport, MS, and New Orleans LA. Many thanks to those dedicated educators.
Title 1 teachers, go to BOOKS-A-GO GO'S "Magic Tree House Gifts" page to apply for your classroom set from the author, Mary Pope Osborne!
JUNE
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner with Mary Pope Osborne, to promote her Classroom Adventures Program. This will provide free Magic Tree House books and resources for classroom use for underserved schools. Click on to our Magic Tree House Gifts section to find out more, and apply for FREE books!
BOOKS-A-GO GO has provided books that are going to Uganda, Honduras, and Argentina! Future ventures will be to Costa Rico and another trip to Honduras.
MAY
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner again with the PGA Tour Wives to provide books at their event with local children from North East Community Hospice. This event was held at The Players, and attended by the pediatric hospice patients, and their families. Many thenks to the PGA Tour wives and Amy Mickelson and her daughters for their help during the event.
BOOKS-A-GO GO receives about 1,900 books from the Jacksonville Country Day School annual book drive from BOOKS-A-GO GO. This is the biggest book drive ever for the school!!!! JCDS has been a founding partner of BOOKS-A-GO GO.
BOOKS-A-GO GO continues to give out books at the Teacher Supply Depot for Title 1 teachers. BOOKS-A-GO GO has been giving out thousands of books each month for the Depot's monthly giveaway!
APRIL
BOOKS-A-GO GO was pleased to attend the Rotary District Conference in Jacksonville FL.
Many thanks to Mandarin Oaks Elementary School for their book drive for BOOKS-A-GO GO. They collected over 900 beautiful books.
MARCH
BOOKS-A-GO GO will celebrate its 6 year, and celebrate over 600,000 books given out to children in need. Host a BOOKS-A-GO GO book drive in YOUR community!
March West Jacksonville Elementary will have a party to celebrate BOOKS-A-GO GO's and Dr. Seuss' Birthday! BOOKS-A-GO GO was founded at West Jacksonville Elementary School.
BOOKS-A-GO GO had another giveaway at the Teacher Supply Depot, in Jacksonville, where hundreds of Title 1 (low income) teachers received books for their students.
FEBRUARY
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased again to partner with Project Makeover. Every year, University of Florida Students do a surprise makeover of a school in need in the Gainesville FL area. This years school is Chester Shell Elementary. BOOKS-A-GO GO is providing books to all of the students, and has supported Project Makeover since it started 5 years ago!
Check out their video!
DECEMBER
December was a busy month for BOOKS-A-GO GO. Thousands of new books were given out to Title 1 teachers, and Pediatric Hospice patients and their siblings, low income housing developments and Families of Slain Children.
NOVEMBER
Many thanks to Graybar Electric and its employees for the wonderful books it collected for their book drive!
OCTOBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO is very proud to partner with the Blue Star Families and RSVP to get books in the hands of children of the military. This is part of the Blue Star Families' Books on Bases program. This is a wonderful venture, and will run from Oct. 4-17.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is now being offered as a service project for Mission Possible Kids. This is a great organization of hundreds of clubs across the country. The kids will collect books and distribute them to children in need in their own community.
The Rotary is hosting a book drive for BOOKS-A-GO GO during October for their literacy project.
BOOKS-A-GO GO book drives are being done across the country by scout troops and 4-H clubs that collect used and new children's books, and gives them to children in need in their communities.
SEPTEMBER
Sept, 27, Betty Metz, President BOOKS-A-GO GO, spoke at the Rotary Club to kick off their literacy project with a book drive during October. Many thanks to the Rotarians for their support!
BOOKS-A-GO GO is so pleased to be working with Graybar Electric for their book drive. Graybar Electric's employees are enthusiastic and eager to provide books for children who need them.
BOOKS-A-GO GO will be distributing books to the Title 1 teachers at the Teacher Supply Depot on September 8. New and gently used books will be given out.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to provied books and support the Boys and Girls Club in Biloxi and suprrounding area.
AUGUST
BOOKS-A-GO GO continues to support Success by Six, a United Way initiative) with books for their students.
BOOKS-A-GO GO provided books to BEAM (Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministries) for their back to school giveaway.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is providing books to children in need at Nassau County.
JULY
BOOKS-A-GO GO has provided books that are being taken to children in Cuba. This is BOOKS-A-GO GO's first venture to provide books to Cuban children in need.
BOOKS-A-GO GO has provided books for Costa Rica. the books will be used by the children in the school and church.
BOOKS-A-GO GO continues to work with the PGA Tour to provide books to their summer literacy progran with their interns.
JUNE
BOOKS-A-GO GO is working with the Community Pediatric Hospice to provide books for the patients and their siblings served by Hospice. The children are so happy to get the books, and it has helped the families bond.
APRIL
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner again with Jacksonville Country Day School's Young Writer's Workshop on April 30. New books will be given to all of the participants.
BOOKS-A-GO GO will provide books to the Families of Slain Children's family Easter Party.
Florida Times Union for a great article and photo on November 25, 2010 about our shipment to Haiti.
BOOKS-A-GO GO gave out over 3,500 books to Title 1 teachers at The Teacher Supply Depot.
These included over 1,000 Christmas books! The teachers were so happy to have books for their students!
Many requests are coming in to BOOKS-A-GO GO for books for Christmas.......
OCTOBER
Over 2,500 books were given to Title 1 teachers at The Teacher Supply Depot.
The Families of Slain Children had a community event, and BOOKS-A-GO GO provided books to the children who attended. FOSC always has books available to give to the children involved to help them.
SEPTEMBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO gave out thousands of books to Title 1 teachers. They were so pleased to be able to give the books for their students.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is very popular as a service project across the country. Thousands of individuals and organizations are collecting books in their communities, and given them to local children in need.
A fire has destroyed the library of the Mesa Elementary School in New Mexico. This is part of the Navajo Reservation that BOOKS-A-GO GO has helped with books for the schools. BOOKS-A-GO GO will provide more books to them. If you care to donate to this effort, the money will be used for shipping the books. The students are devastated and crying over their lost books!!! Heartbreaking!l
AUGUST
BOOKS-A-GO GO took books, coloring books and crayons to children in Russia. Many thanks to Viking Cruise personnel for identifying the location, and helping us with the distribution.
Many book drives going on, and the books keep coming in!
JULY
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner with another medical mission trip to Mexico. Books in Spanish will be given to the children and schools in Mexico.
BOOKS-A-GO GO French text books, story books, coloring books and crayons are being assembled to be shipped to Haiti children! Thanks to all who is making this possible!!!!
BOOKS-A-GO GO continues to provide teaching aids and books to programs that serve low income children all summer.
JUNE
BOOKS-A-GO GO donated books to Miss Kookye's bus in Bradenton Florida. This is a followup to a broadcast on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
Books have been sent to the Navajo Reservation for the children on the reservation. This is part of an ongoing effort and partnership with EVE's Foundation
MAY
- BOOKS-A-GO GO has distributed thousands, and thousands of books to Title 1 teachers to give to their students for summer reading.
May GOLFING FOR BOOKS!!!!!!!
BOOKS-A-GO GO goes to THE PLAYERS!
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner with the PGA TOUR Players Wives by collecting children's books at the Players on Tuesday, May 4 at THE PLAYERS practice round at TPC at Sawgrass. The TOUR Players Wives are focusing their charitable efforts this year on literacy.
Spectators on Tuesday May 4, can bring their used or new children's books, and they will collected at the entrance gates at the Tournament. All books collected will be given to local children from low income families.
BOOKS-A-GO GO will also participate in the Tour Players Wives 2010 Peds Care Event with Community Hospice. "These Kids Can Play:Bookfest"
BOOKS-A-GO GO also supported 2 other PGA events in Dallas and San Antonio with books for the local children from low income families.
APRIL
BOOKS-A-GO GO welcomes Watson Realty Corporation to the BOOKS-A-GO GO family by hosting our book donation bins throughout Jacksonville Florida for yearround donations.
Watson Realty offices in Jacksonville are conveniently located in the following areas, and open 7 days a week!
Baymeadows/Sunbeam
San March/San Jose
Mandarin, North and South offices
Southside
Fort Caroline
Hidden Hills
Intracoastal
Hodges Blvd
West/Chaffee Road
Avondale/Ortega
Oakleaf
Jacksonville Beach
Neptune Beach
North/Dunn Ave.
Deercreek/Corporate office
Ponte Vedra Beach
WATSON CARES!!
April
BIRMINGHAM READS!!!
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to continue it's partnership with Winn-Dixie in 10 of its Birmingham Alabama locations to collect children's books for BIRMINGHAM READS! BOOKS-A-GO GO joins Better Basics and the Junior Leage in this huge community effort to get books in the hands of children who cannot afford them in Birmingham, Alabama.
MARCH
BOOKS-A-GO GO held its 4th Annual National Children's Book Drive. Remember, all books collected remain in the local community! No cost to participate. Businesses are glad to have families visit their businesses to drop off books. EMAIL BOOKSAGOGO@aol.com with the number of books collected, and the school or organization you gave them to that serves low income children.
March - Winn-Dixie Grocery Stores in Tampa, Sarasota and Northeast Florida, and Southern Georgia,are participating in BOOKS-A-GO GO's Book Drive! We welcome Winn-Dixie!!!
Winn-Dixie Stores in the Birmingham area will join collect books April 1-15 to support Birmingham Reads!
Communities in Schools is joining BOOKS-A-GO GO's Book Drive throughout the state of Florida! They will partner with our Winn-Dixie stores that are participating!
DriveTime car dealerships, our founding sponsor, will continue to participate throughout the country in many of its locations.
March - BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to support Project Makeover in Gainesville, FL. Over 600 students from the University of Florida will do a weekend makeover of Lake Forest Elementary School. BOOKS-A-GO GO is supplying books to all the students! this is the third year BOOKS-A-GO GO has helped in this wonderful venture. SHHHHH ! It is a suprise, and the children won't know until they come in Monday morning!
March BOOKS-A-GO GO celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday by participating in parties for low income children. All children enjoyed Dr. Seuss story tellers, and got a book and a Dr. Seuss hat or scarf! thank you PEO and Debbie Wallace!
FEBRUARY
BOOKS-A-GO GO founder and President, Betty Metz, was honored by the Florida Times Union as , "One Who Made a Difference in 2009," This was a great honor, and Betty appreciates all the people who continually support BOOKS-A-GO GO's efforts.
BOOKS-A-GO GO has had dozens of book drives collecting much needed books. Special Thanks to 3 chidren's birthday parties, where the guests brought new books for BOOKS-A-GO GO!
BOOKS-A-GO GO was proud to participate again at the Much Ado About Books sponsored by the Jacksonville Library.
JANUARY
BOOKS-A-GO GO has sent books to Panama with a Mission trip. Contact us if you want to work with BOOKS-A-GO GO on your next trip overseas.
DECEMBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO gave out over 11,000 new books at Christmas to children. For many children, we know that our book is the only Christmas present they received.
Thanks to Fresh Threads Consignment store in Tampa for giving a % of sales to BOOKS-A-GO GO for sales for the month.
NOVEMBER
Thank you to San Juan Del Rio Catholic Church and School for the great book drive and mountain of books that were collected for BOOKS-AGO GO. It was fabulous to see the dedication and drive of the whole San Juan Del Rio Family. We look forward to continuing to work with them in future book drives.
The Daytona Swing collected children's books for BOOKS-A-GO GO! The Daytona Swing is a fabulous golf weekend for ladies, and is run by the Deerfield Lakes Ladies Golf Association. They had a fun weekend with over 100 ladies, and did a great job in providing books for children in need. BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to be a part of the Daytona Swing!
OCTOBER
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to be working with EZ Book Recyclers in Aurora Illinois. EZ will be placing book donation bins in Chicagoland. If you have a location for a bin, or want children's books from the donations in that area, please contact BOOKS-A-GO GO, or EZ Book Recyclers at 630-890-1929
SEPTEMBER
Random House, and Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House Series, has donated 20 sets of the Magic Tree House books, Merlin's Missions, and the Research Guides to BOOKS-A-GO GO. These book sets will be used as classroom sets for 2nd and 3rd grade classes for Title 1 schools.
Mary Pope Osborne has been also working with BOOKS-A-GO GO in getting more books to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. (Special thanks to R.M. in Colorado who sent children's books to BOOKS-A-GO GO because of our relationship with the Navajo Reservation, You are an angel!)
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to partner with the Tom Barrow Company to supply books for a library and reading program for the Edith Brown Community Center.
BOOKS-A-GO GO gave out over 4,100 books to Title 1 teachers and teachers with low income children to the Duval School District in Florida at the Teacher Supply Depot in Jacksonville Florida.
AUGUST
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to partner with the KPMG Interns for Literacy. The interns had a wonderful program with several groups of children from low income families. Staff from KPMG came, and it was a wonderful event with each child getting 2 new books purchased with donations collected by the KPMG Interns for Literacy. This program was in partnership with First Book.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is shipping books to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona for their libraries and other programs that serve Navajo children in need. This is in partnership with Mary Pope Osborne.
BOOKS-A-GO GO again has books going to children in Mexico with a medical mission project.
JUNE
BOOKS-A-GO GO is proud to be working with the Ling Tung University in Taiwan to get books to Taiwanese children in need. BOOKS-A-GO GO goes to Asia!
BOOKS-A-GO GO distributed over 10,000 books for summer reading to children in need.
BOOKS are given to homeless shelters and victims services organizations. Books are healing for children going through trauma situations.
MAY
BOOKS-A-GO GO received a proclamation by Mayor John Peyton of Jacksonville Florida in recognition of our national book drive, and the impact we are making on children's lives through books. BOOKS-A-GO GO is thrilled to receive this recognition.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is now on Twitter! Twitter us at BOOKSAGOGO, be our friend, and find what we are up to!
BOOKS-A-GO GO wants to thank First Book for all of their support from our first local book drive. Their support of our efforts have been key in to the success of BOOKS-A-GO GO!
Many thanks to Penguin Group for donating new children's books to BOOKS-A-GO GO to support our Annual Book Drive in March. Henry Winkler (the Fonz) author of the popular Hank Zipzer series (Penguin Group) is a member of the BOOKS-a-GO GO Advisory Board, and has been an avid supporter of our efforts.
BOOKS-A-GO GO is pleased to announce that Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House Series, and Natalie Pope Boyce author of the Magic Tree House Research Guides have joined the BOOKS-A-GO GO Advisory Board!
-- FIRST BOOK features BOOKS-A-GO GO in its website! Visit FIRSTBOOK.org, then First Book Blogs, then Book Recipients. FIRST BOOK has been an great supporter of BOOKS-A-GO GO from our first book drive. Their staff, advice, and certainly their books have been very invaluable to our success!
######Please let us know about your BOOKS-A-GO GO event for our website!######
For more information on upcoming events or to receive additional information on the above
events contact us at
BOOKSAGOGO@aol or call 904-635-6893
