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If you rebuild it ...
Dec 6, 2007 3:24 AM
UFT donates 6,000 pounds of books to New Orleans school library destroyed by Katrina
Celebrating the arrival of books from the UFT are (from left) United Teachers of New Orleans President Brenda Mitchell, Johanna Schneider of PS 36 in Brooklyn, UFT Manhattan Special Representative Leroy Barr, Queens Borough Representative Rona Freiser, paraprofessional Arlevia DeLoach of Brooklyn’s PS 9, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology Principal D.R. Hicks, UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden, UFT Brooklyn Parent Liaison Betty Zohar, Director of Legislation/Political Action Marv Reiskin, Nanuet (N.Y.) Teachers Association President Lee Cutler, High School of Graphic Communication Arts Chapter Leader Patricia Crispino and PS 140, Queens, Chapter Leader Maggie Martin.
The UFT made a special delivery to help rebuild the damaged library of a New Orleans elementary school in October.
Some 6,000 pounds of books, collected during a month-long drive by the union, arrived at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology, which was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden, who has spearheaded the union’s Katrina relief efforts, took the supplies to New Orleans on Oct. 30 where she worked with the AFT’s Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Conference to distribute them.
The books were donated and collected from mid-September to mid-October during the “Make a Difference, One Book at a Time” campaign.
Reiskin (right) helps carry boxes into the library.
“From the moment Katrina hit, we’ve been doing what we could for our brothers and sisters in New Orleans,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten. “We’ve been trying to help them organize and set up community outreach campaigns, paint schools and get them ready for opening.
“They also asked for books, and we’re following through on that commitment.”
A contingent of UFTers joined Bodden at the library as the books were delivered.
“The school system’s need for basic materials such as books, supplies and computer equipment is great, and we want our colleagues in New Orleans to know that they have our full support as they endeavor to rebuild not only this library but the entire school system and the city as a whole,” Bodden said.
Trying out the library tables and books are (from left) Manhattan Educational Liaison Zina Burton-Myrick, Manhattan Parent Coordinator Teresa Anderson, District 2 Representative Evelyn DeJesus and UFT African Heritage Committee Chair Anthony Harmon.
Making a difference
When PS 154, Brooklyn, Chapter Leader Sandra Callahan heard that her school’s library was closing to make way for a new classroom, she inquired about what was going to happen to the books. When she was told that teachers could take some for their classrooms and the rest would be thrown in a Dumpster, she swung into action. Callahan had attended a chapter leader meeting in Brooklyn and listened to UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden describe the union’s “Make a Difference, One Book at a Time” campaign to restock the library at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology in New Orleans, still recovering from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. “There were 400 to 500 books in boxes,” Callahan recalled. She then contacted UFT staff at 52 Broadway and a pick-up was arranged. She and her staff helped load the books into a van. “I hope the students and teachers in New Orleans will get as much use out of these books as we did,” Callahan said.
Carrying the donations to a van that will take them to UFT headquarters are (from front to back) Callahan, 2nd-grade teacher Firelei-DeLeon Rice, reading teacher Dawn Capua, 2nd-grade teacher Maria Colacino, paraprofessional Robert Swanson and custodian Hector Pena.
