ALDERSON W.Va. (WVDN) – For the 9th year, Alderson’s Store is hosting its annual book drive to benefit students at Alderson and Ronceverte Elementary. Donations are being accepted until December 16 and may be made by way of book purchases in the store or monetary donations of cash, check, PayPal or the newest option added just this year, a GoFundMe account.
“I grew up reading,” says Sarah Alderson, general manager of Alderson’s Store. “My mom read to every one of us from the time we were born. It opened up a world to me. When I was little, I loved reading the different stories of other people and places or kids that I could identify with,” she continued. “Reading is very important for kids and I think it gives them a strong basis in education. I’ve watched kids’ eyes light up with books, and I want to put as many books as I can into kids’ hands. There’s just something magical about a new book.”
Every year, Alderson collects and organizes 600 brand-new, primarily Appalachian-focused children’s books for distribution at Alderson and Ronceverte Elementary.
“We focus mostly on West Virginia books and authors,” she said. “To get a new book and for it to be West Virginia related and something local that they can learn about makes it extra special. Getting a new book for a child at Christmas is like getting a new toy.”
Speaking of a West Virginia connection, Alderson spoke of one story that really highlights the importance of reading and education.
“There’s a teacher in Alderson who taught a child that later grew up to be an author. She’s published two children’s books, so we make sure to get those,” she said. “The teacher is able to tell her students that she taught this woman before she became a writer, she sat where they’re sitting now and she’s now an author; they could do that someday, too.”
With the cost of a new book averaging $10, to successfully collect and distribute 600 books will cost approximately $6,000. With some books being priced at upwards of $20, the cost gets even steeper. For the first time, Alderson has launched a GoFundMe account with a goal of $1,000 to help in purchasing books. “It works because I can fill in the holes for any titles or reading levels that may get overlooked,” she said. “We still need over 400 titles to reach our goal by mid-December.”
Even with a specific goal in mind, Alderson cautions that she never stops at an exact number. “I always make sure we have a little bit more,” she said. “A few extra books allow the teachers to have them in the classroom, or it allows for a few extra kids that may come in right before Christmas. I don’t want any child left out,” she adds. “The teachers lay out the books for different classes to come in and pick out their own book. One teacher has told me that the kids really ponder over what they want to pick. It’s exciting for them to pick out their own book. I make sure every classroom gets a few extra so that every child gets a choice. I don’t want one child at the end to have one book left, and that’s what they get.”
Every year, Sarah Alderson carries on her family’s tradition of running the store that first opened in 1887. As time has passed, she has created her own tradition of making Christmas a little brighter for local children.
“It’s bigger than just giving a book or giving money,” she says. “It’s become a meaningful tradition for all of us together. I have kids coming in from middle school and high school that remember getting a book when they were a child, and now they come in and choose a book to give. The community is the reason we do this, and they help us do it for the kids.”
For more information, call 304-445-2851 or visit the store at 320 Monroe Street South in Alderson, West Virginia. Donors may come in and purchase one or more books in-store and donate them directly at that time. For monetary donations, check payments may be made payable and mailed to: Alderson’s Store, P.O. Box 594, Alderson, WV 24910. Online donations may be made via PayPal to j.m.aldersonsstore@gmail.com or through the GoFundMe account link provided on the store’s social media page at Facebook.com/AldersonsStore. Donors may also call during normal business hours and provide their credit card information over the phone, indicate the exact amount they wish to donate, and even request certain titles for donation. Store hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
