MIDWAY — The push for literacy — and to bring books to special needs kids — got a shove Tuesday afternoon.
The Kiwanis Club of Liberty County opened its fifth little library for books geared toward children with special needs, and their efforts resulted in a donation from the Vaden Foundation — and ultimately two more matching donations.
The drive to open libraries with books for kids with special needs to read about characters like themselves started with Tina Kitchings, the wife of Hinesville Fire Chief and outgoing Kiwanis president Robert Kitchings.
“She wanted to give the kids an opportunity to see themselves in a book,” he said. “She has come up with this awesome program and it has taken off so fast.”
Kiwanis started the first of the libraries with books tailored to kids with special needs just two months ago.
“We’re promoting the literacy in our community, and for the most under-served part of our community, those children with special needs,” Chief Kitchings said. “I had no idea how large our special needs community was until I became a part of Kiwanis. It is a shame they have had to live in the shadows for so long. We’re going to give them the tools where they can be successful as well.”
Lora Gunsallus, director of marketing for Vaden Automotive, presented the Kiwanis Club with a $500 check to continue their efforts.
That spurred former Midway City Council member Dr. Clemontine Washington, who said she just got her first retirement check from the city, to say she too would donate $500 to the cause. State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) followed Washington’ donation with a pledge of $500 of his own.
Gunsallus said she and Williams have been looking for a way to make a meaningful impact, noting Vaden Automotive Group president Jane Vaden Thacher is focused on literacy and education.
“This hits all the buttons of what we want to do as a meaningful, impactful way to improve our communities,” Gunsallus said.
Other local leaders and officials said the Kiwanis Club’s effort can help the community address its literacy rate.
“We are serious about moving our children forward and making a difference in every child in our system,” said Verdell Jones, chair of the Liberty County Board of Education. “We’re going to put the value back on education. We’re going to get kids back in school learning. We’re going to get teachers excited to do the work they’ve been called to do.”
Jones pointed out her team gave out 1,000 books at a back-to-school rally, and there were parents of teenagers coming by asking for books.
“We’re working on getting books in the homes of our children,” she said.
Rep. Williams credited his cousin, the late L.C. Shipman, for helping to instill a love of reading. From the time he was 13, he’s read a book a month, continuing to do so even when he was on a tour of duty in Vietnam, Williams said.
“You’ve got to make your children catch the bug,” he said. “You go into houses and there are no books. Anywhere they go, they should stumble over a book.”
Williams said literacy is the state’s “biggest and most urgent need” and called upon non-profit organizations to help in the fight.
“When you cannot read, your life is pre-determined,” he said. “It is terrifying when our children can’t read. You must continue your quest on literacy. We have the teachers; we have the leadership. I love to brag about Liberty County. I want to brag about our literacy rate.”
Chief Kitchings said his dream is to see a special needs child make their way across the high school graduation stage and hold up one of those books as the inspiration they had to get their diploma.
Tina Kitchings told Rep. Williams he can get a chance to brag on Liberty County this weekend, as the local Kiwanis chapter has been asked to present at the district convention in Peachtree City about its initiative.
