JEFFERSON COUNTY — The 30 members of Columbine High School’s Unity in Action Club are using books as building blocks in war-torn Uganda.
The group, which promotes cultural diversity and community service, hopes to collect thousands of books to help a school in Gulu, Uganda, create and stock a library. The books will be sent to the school or sold to raise money to buy age-appropriate books for children who have been impacted by war.
In the two-decade conflict between the government and the insurgent Lord’s Resistance Army, as many as 2 million people, or 90 percent of the population in northern Uganda, have been displaced.
“I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to help in the world,” said senior Jessica Butt, 17. “It’s hard to do something huge when you’re a high school student.”
Something “huge,” explained club president Myra Sommerville, is collecting at least 10,000 and as many as 50,000 books. In the past month, club members have gathered about 700 books, including the 200 or so still in the trunk of Sommerville’s car.
The book effort is part of a nationwide program called Schools for Schools, which is a branch of Invisible Children. The organization’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children in war-torn areas by providing access to education.
More than 2,000 schools across the country, including others in Colorado, are competing in the book collection. The top 13 book-gathering schools and the top three money-raising schools will be able to send a representative to Uganda to help build the school.
“Since I’m a senior, this is my last chance to do something big,” said Sommerville, who said she hopes to go to Uganda. “I’ve never wanted anything so bad. It’s ridiculous.”
The public may drop off undamaged, clean new or used books from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Columbine Public Library, 7706 W. Bowles Ave. Books also will be accepted Monday at the school, 6201 S. Pierce St.
Members of Columbine’s Key Club will provide free refreshments, and Sommerville said movies and film clips about the children they hope to help will be available on laptops.
Checks made out to Columbine High School also will be accepted. The club raised more than $1,000 during a “coffee jam” in October.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
Drop off your books
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Columbine Public Library, 7706 W. Bowles Ave.
Monday: All day at Columbine High School, 6201 S. Pierce St.
