March 8, 2017

Buckbee, Cummings Host Successful Book Drive

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New Milford – State Representatives Bill Buckbee (R-67) and Stephanie Cummings (R-74) recently co-hosted the successful “Share a Book at Harrybrooke” which encouraged people to donate books to the Waterbury Reads Gently Used Children’s Book Drive.

The event, which took place at Harrybrooke Park’s Harden House Museum on Saturday, March 4, 2017, and with all proceeds and books donated to Waterbury Reads, collected about 1,500 books for the program. To date, Waterbury Reads has collected more than 45,000 books, and counting.

“When I founded Waterbury Reads I never imagined it would be as successful as it’s become and I’m grateful to Rep. Buckbee and each and every person who donated their used books to help Waterbury school-aged children have access to free and age-appropriate reading material,” Rep. Cummings, founder of Waterbury Reads Gently Used Children’s Book Drive, said. “I know the kids who receive these books truly appreciate them and I look forward to collecting and distributing even more books in the coming weeks, months and years.”

Waterbury Reads was established in 2014 to collect and distribute books, free of charge to Waterbury children aged 18 and younger. Through a dynamic collaboration with Literacy Volunteers of Waterbury the books are distributed to Waterbury’s youth through a variety of different means including a recently launched bookmobile trailer. The main goal is to get books into the hands of children in targeted communities who may not already have access to the books.

“To me,” added Rep. Buckbee, who serves as Executive Director of Harrybrooke Park and Harden House Museum. “This is what it’s all about. Coming together to help kids, we hope this is the start of many positive projects connecting our state and the people within. Cities and towns both need to always work at state pride and this small project is a step toward greater unity of this state.”

Harrybrooke Park is a private park endowed by a trust left by Frank A. Harden and managed by non-profit volunteer organization committed to the preservation of the park’s natural beauty and upkeep of the park’s facilities and the Harden House Museum. The park hosts several community events year round.

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