FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2004

Students celebrate the arrival of library books
October 18 to 22 is being declared Back to Books Library Celebration Week by the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board and The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation. During this period, elementary students will celebrate the arrival of their new library books and recognize the generosity of the donors who made the book purchases possible.

The Back to Books campaign has been a tremendous success due to the generous donations of various community groups and individuals. Launched in November 2003 as the first of its kind in Ontario, the goal of Back to Books is to raise $1,000 per grade for all 54 schools over two years. Now, almost one year after taking its first breaths, the Back to Books campaign is celebrating the release of thousands of library books for elementary students throughout the district.

“Our communities have been most supportive and generous, with donations being received from local businesses, service clubs, and philanthropic individuals who share in our belief in the importance of literacy,” remarks Maribeth deSnoo, Executive Director of The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation. “Great books encourage students to read and if these books can be easily found within our school libraries, the benefits are obvious.”

While all elementary schools will be hosting their own celebrations next week, some have been selected as VIP invitation/media sites. Media representatives are invited to attend any or all of the following media/VIP invitation celebrations. At these schools, a variety of special events involving students are planned to recognize the donors whose designations were specifically directed to the particular schools. Invited guests include donors, MPPs, local politicians, directors of The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation, and school board trustees and senior management.

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 54 schools serving 18,900 students and employing 1,083 teachers. The Board covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the west.

The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation is the registered charitable foundation established by the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board to enhance public education by raising money for services and initiatives that could not otherwise be offered by the Board.

For information call: (613) 966-1170, or 1 800 267-4350:
• Maribeth deSnoo, Executive Director, The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation, ext. 2205
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, ext. 2354