The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Book fair to benefit literacy

BookFair

A book fair is being held in the Alumni Memorial Union through Friday to raise money, donate books and promote literacy for Milwaukee Public School students.

The fair, held on the first floor of the AMU, is cosponsored by Scholastic, Sam’s Hope Literacy Foundation, the Milwaukee Bucks and Time Warner Cable.

Proceeds from the fair will be given to Sam’s Hope Literacy Foundation, a volunteer organization founded 12 years ago by a local teen to encourage Milwaukee children to read.

The group will donate funds and books to Milwaukee Public Schools to support their “literacy mission” in conjunction with Milwaukee Bucks, a long-standing partner of the foundation, said Barbara Garner, president of Sam’s Hope.

“We achieve our goals of encouraging Milwaukee children in need to read at home and succeed in school,” Garner said.

Time Warner Cable has provided public service announcements promoting the event. The Multicultural Business Organization at Marquette also helped market the event.

“The proceeds will benefit Milwaukee Public Schools tremendously because it will provide the schools with more funds to purchase newer and better quality books for their kids,” said Phillip Gayle, a senior in the College of Business Administration and president of the MBO. “That will help encourage the students to read more and eventually sharpen their reading skills,” Gayle said.

Cheryl Maranto, chair of the management department and faculty adviser to MBO, said this is the first year Marquette has hosted a book fair for Sam’s Hope, but hopes to make it an annual event.

A lot of research has been found that if (children) don’t have books at home, they are put behind in school because they have nothing to read and can’t learn to love to read,” Maranto said. “Sam’s Hope has a phenomenal way to provide for kids.”

In addition to elementary and middle schools, other partner groups such as Big Brothers Big Sisters could receive part of the proceeds, Garner said. Smaller reading groups, shelters and others programs have also requested assistance from the Sam’s Hope Literacy Foundation, Garner said.

The book fair runs between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. through Friday

A majority of the materials for sale are both nonfiction and fiction books for audiences ages 3 to 12. Adult fiction bestsellers, cookbooks and school supplies are also available for purchase.

Shoppers will also be able to make donations to the fund.

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