By Koriann Lance
I was nervous coming to the clinic to volunteer. I didn’t know what to expect, as I had never been a part of an event such as this before. After I helped the first young girl find a book just for her, my heart melted and I forgot about my nerves. To know that this little girl went home with something all her own to get lost in and enjoy….priceless.
I also remember several adult individuals thanking me, repeatedly. I heard from several people “God bless you.” I wanted to say, “No, God bless you!” They gave me the gift of helping me open my eyes to the needs of our community. They gave me the fulfillment of knowing that I helped in some small way, though I know much more needs to be done. They gave me the gift of understanding what a community really means.
The clinic was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake, IL. If you’d like to learn more, please visit them at http://www.imcl.us/#/missions-outreach
A to Z Literacy Movement Blog 
I was amazed at the turnout for the clinic! I was especially gratified to see how many of the participants were excited about getting some books to take home and read. There were so many varied interests in subject matter and we were able to guide most people to some reading materials that met their desires. When I asked one middle school aged boy what he liked to read, he said, without hesitation, “science fiction.” I was able to find some books for him at his level. Many times over the past week I have pictured him escaping to another world with his nose in these books. I think volunteers and families alike left with a bit of extra bounce in their steps!