Literacy Lambton is hoping to spark a love of reading in young children this holiday season.
The organization's annual Give a Book campaign runs until December 11, and benefits families in need.
Executive Director Tracy Pound said they're looking for donations of books for babies all the way up to those 18 years of age.
"We find that we get a lot of requests for board books as well as great early readers and chapter books, and read aloud books," said Pound. "We can't forget about the teenagers because that's a really tough age group as well. Sometimes our teens get forgotten, but there's magic in giving our teenagers a book."
Pound said the initiative is already off to a strong start.
"A lot of our service clubs have given us grants which have kind of given us a bit of a head start," she said. "This year is no different. The Rotary Club of Sarnia Bluewaterland helped us. We basically have a pallet of books that kind of gets us going. Each year, at least in the last three years, we've been growing our frontline partners steadily."
Pound said last year's campaign brought in 3,787 books which were distributed to children in need through 34 frontline partners.
"We have a lot of the Christmas hamper agencies, we have Petrolia's Christmas for Everyone, St. Clair Township's Operation Christmas Tree, hampers from the Inn of the Good Shepherd, St. Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army family services, and a few church groups and agencies."
New, unwrapped books can be donated at Coles in Lambton Mall, The Book Keeper in the Northgate Plaza, and at Literacy Lambton's office at 180 College Ave. N.
Financial donations of $20 or more can also be made at www.literacylambton.org. Donors will be given a printable tax receipt.
