The Rotary Club of Brandon is preparing for their spring book sale that comes up in the first week of April, bringing thousands of books to the many tables that line the ballroom at the Victoria Inn in Brandon. They always coincide their spring book sale with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.
"We plan this at the same time as the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair," shares Rotary Club member Marty Snelling. "This is ideal timing for our event. We've traditionally held our book sale during this weekend ever since we started."
In addition to the spring sale the Rotary Club of Brandon host a fall sale in September, with all proceeds from both sales going towards community projects across the Westman Region.
"It's amazing to see how far we've come," adds Snelling. "This upcoming sale marks our 41st event, and we host two book sales each year, making it 20 years now!
Something that many may not realize is that every child that attends the Rotary Club book sale gets their first book free!
"That's correct. The only cost is if you decide to buy a book. We ensure that every child receives at least one free book, and if they want to buy more, that's great. Every child who attends the book sale leaves with a book," he adds. "It's a fantastic way to encourage kids to read. We believe that literacy is a crucial component of Rotary's mission across Canada and internationally. By providing books to children at an early age, we aim to foster a love for reading."
Now in the final weeks before the spring sale, Snelling says they're still collecting books. So, if your spring cleaning includes your home library, keep the Rotary Club in mind because they have ample room to store their thousands of books until the next sale.
"Even though our book sales are held twice a year, we collect books year-round," explains Snelling. "We have a storage facility provided by the Community Health and Housing Association in Brandon, which doesn't charge us rent. We cover some of their bills, like the electrical bill. This arrangement allows us to offer low-cost books to the community, and all funds raised support community projects. The association works in partnership with us on these initiatives."
The Rotary Club of Brandon Spring Book Sale takes place at the Victoria Inn in Brandon:
- Thursday, April 3: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
- Friday, April 4: 9:00 to 9:00 pm
- Saturday, April 5: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
For more information and upcoming events please visit their Facebook page HERE!
(photo credit the Rotary Club of Brandon #1344 Facebook page)