WEATHER
For the third time in the past two years, Vaughn Elementary School’s library has all but overflowed with youngsters excited at the prospect of receiving gifts of books from the school’s Marsha Iverson Foundation.
Spearheading the event again was teacher Marc Ross, whose enthusiasm for the project is infectious. Not just the kids are fired up; parents, teachers and Vaughn’s “Rock of Gibraltar” librarian, Patricia VanValkenberg, exude a passion for printed pages and all the wonderment derived from the books in which they are found.
The foundation is named after Marsha Iverson, a reading teacher at Vaughn for many years who passed away during the summer of 2006 after a long battle with cancer. She had just recently retired from teaching.
“She wanted kids to have books here at Vaughn instead of flowers at her funeral,” Ross said. “That was the beginning of her foundation.”
No photograph can capture the awed, excited expressions of delight and reward radiating from the kids’ faces.
There is no “I gotta get mine” in these proceedings; it’s a “gosh, look what I got,” and, “what a wonderful book you have,” and, “let me share mine with you,” event.
I’ve been told that even hardened photojournalists experience lumps in their throats while participating in the proceedings.
“This was our third book handout in two years,” Ross said. “We have handed out nearly 500 books to over 400 kids. We have collected nearly $10,000 since Marsha’s death, and every dime that comes into the foundation is used to purchase quality, hardback books for the kids here at Vaughn.”
I gotta tell ya, if Santa Claus himself had been in that library that day, the kids wouldn’t even have noticed him. They were there for something far more important: A chance to get a book of their very own to take home and read and share.
“Roger Iverson, Marsha Iverson’s husband, spoke to the kids for the first time since we started these book handouts,” Ross said. “This is something that is very dear to him, as was Marsha. He talked to the kids in a very motivational way, told them that they are equal with everyone in the world; as long as they can read, write and do math, there isn’t anything that they can’t do.”
Roger Iverson is a story himself. Also a retired teacher from the Peninsula School District, his career in teaching was spent at Peninsula High School, where he was a basketball coach. He played basketball at Pacific Lutheran University and, in 1971, was inducted into the NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame.
Roger Iverson had the kids recite a saying of his: “If it is to be, it must be me.”
He also told the kids that they must “dream big!”
“It was a very moving talk,” Ross said.
The kids who write this column for which I unashamedly take credit sent in the following:
“Thank you very much for this book,” said Danny J., 11. “I cannot wait to read it. I like books with adventure and magic. I also like it when books are like a family going on a trip (and) when the tree house pops up in the stories. I enjoy all the places the characters go and the way they keep secrets.”
“Thank you for getting me two books,” said Tyler D., also 11. “It felt really good because you don’t really get free books every day. I really like ‘Soul Surfer’ because it is based on a true story about a girl who was surfing and had an accident by a shark. The other book, ‘Artemis Foul,’ is funny because it has pictures.”
Fifth-grader Jessica Graham wrote: “The book, ‘Marley: A Dog like no other!’ means the world to me! My favorite author is John Grogan.”
Jessica’s classmate, Katie J., gave thanks for the book “Love” by Jerry Spinelli.
“I love to read, especially Jerry Spinelli books; he is one of my favorite authors,” she said. “When I open my book, it makes me feel really good because I can read better now.”
William Burke, who emphasized that he is 10 1/2 years old, “loves to read,” and thinks “the whole world should have a fandashin (sic) because every buddy (sic) should have books because reading is very very inption (sic). It is very cool to have a book to read. I have a cookbook so I can cook. (It) is fun to cook. I can read whatever I want to read.”
Dalton H. likes, “reading ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 and 2.’ ”
Tabitha B. declared: “I like the book; it is cool to get the book that I wanted for free. I like to read predator animal books. I like chart books. They are fun and cool because they are long and not short and have more pages.”
For studies in brevity, try: “My name is Raymond Malon. I like my book. Thank you.”
Tyler Gulbranson, 7, enthused: “Thank you for giving a free book to me.”
Or: “I like books all the time,” said Devin C.
Another: “My name is Marchon. I am 9 years old. It feels so good to get (a) new book.”
“I like to read magic tree house books,” said Odessa, 7. “Sometimes I need help with the words.”
Joey C., 11, likes “to read action books and sasqathch (sic).”
Five-year-old kindergartner Abby K. thinks, “it is great getting a book today. I like to read all the time.”
Abby summed things up with: “I like when your mom reads you bedtime stories.”
Did you get that, moms?
Contributions to support the Marsha Iverson Foundation may be sent to 17521 Hall Road KPN, Vaughn, WA, 98394.
For further information, contact Ross at 253-530-4700.
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