Braves Box Open At Together Community Center
When the Leola Branch Library closed in the fall of 2020, Karla Neff, director of Pequea Valley elementary advocacy at The Factory Ministries and head of the Brave Kids Learning Center located in the Together Community Center (TCC), received a windfall. "A (Factory Ministries) donor (provided funds that) allowed us to purchase a number of books (from the Leola Branch sale)," said Neff. "We give out books at all our programs."
Beyond providing free books to Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) students, Neff had dreamed of having a Little Free Library at TCC, 3293 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise. "We love books and wanted to make it easy for local families to get them," shared Neff. With enough books to jumpstart such an endeavor, Neff reached out to Evan Lapp to create a structure to hold the books. "(Lapp) is retired and talented and caring," said Neff, who sent Lapp photos of what she wanted the Little Free Library to look like. In December of 2020, Lapp brought the finished bookcase to TCC.
In March of 2021, the Little Free Library at TCC was placed just to the left of the entrance. "We call it the Braves Box," said Neff. "The idea is to take a book and leave a book or take a book and share it with a friend when you're done," said Neff. "That's what little libraries are for." Factory Ministries volunteer Marie Glass helped procure a stamp so that each book bears the Little Free Library mark.
Neff has divided the bookcase for ease of use. "The bottom shelf is mostly kids' (books)," she said. "The top shelf is adults and teens. (The Little Free Library) is open anytime."
The Braves Box proved popular almost immediately. "We are constantly refilling it," said Neff, who noted that donors have kept the supply of books for children plentiful. "Right now, we could use some more adult books," she noted, adding that hardcover children's books are also on her wish list. "(Those books) are expensive for our families to buy," she stated.
The Braves Box is registered with the Little Free Library organization at https://littlefreelibrary.org. More information about The Factory Ministries may be found at https://thefactoryministries.com. Readers with specific questions may email karla@thefactoryministries.com or lisa_eckert@pequeavalley.org.
Leave a Review