Boaters for Books, a Punta Gorda, Florida based 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, recently shipped hundreds of reading and library books to schools in Carriacou, Dominica, Grenada, Nevis, and Union Island in The Grenadines. Books were quickly distributed in the Caribbean by a network of local island librarians, educators and cruising sailors from the United States, and by the Lion’s Club of Dominica.

The all volunteer efforts of Boaters for Books are supported by Tropical Shipping, which transports the books over seas free of charge, by the Ann Street Mini Storage in Punta Gorda, which provides space to store, sort and pack the books, The Andreae Group, Re/Max Harbor Realty, for the truck used to deliver books to the shipper, and by the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association, for their advertising and book collection efforts.

Book donations and collaborative efforts this year involved residents and organizations from across the United States as well as in the Caribbean. Major donors included Jenny Setzer and the children of the Congregational United Church of Punta Gorda, members of the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association and Port Charlotte residents who donated books at The School Box at 4060 Tamiami Trail. Sarasota’s Edie Smith (Operation Bahamas Project) collected hundreds of storybooks. Teri Bayus of Prismo Beach, California sent books specifically for the public library in St. Georges, Grenada. She is busy collecting more books. Anyone near her home town can contact Teri directly to assist in shipping. Email Boaters@boatersoforbooks.org for contact information. Architect James Thomas sent dozens of library books from the Ames Free Library in Massachusetts.

Kudos and thanks as well to Harriett and Tom Linsky of Hands Across The Sea, another non-profit organization helping schools in the Caribbean. They collected books for three particular schools, one each in Nevis, Dominica and Union Island and donated funds to help Boaters for Books buy more. Updates on their adventures in literacy in the Caribbean can be found at www.handsacrossthesea.net.

Long time donors Ernie and Mary Hamer of upstate New York continue to provide Boaters for Books with dozens of books each year. Other 2008-2009 donors include Al and Theresa Ackerman, Nancy Cantor of the University School of Nova Southeastern and dozens of others from both cruising and land locked communities.

This is the ninth year Boaters for Books has collected and distributed gently used and new children's books to the Caribbean islands. The non-profit literacy project was founded by Southwest Florida residents Kathy and Richard Oberle. Distribution in the islands is coordinated by Melodye Pompa on S/V Second Millenium, based in Carriacou, Grenada. In addition to this year’s recipients, Boaters for Books distributes to Anguilla, Bequia, Montserrat, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago. Nearly 150,000 books have been distributed to date.

Have a children’s storybook to share? Instructions on book selection and where to send books can be found HERE.

Boaters for Books is in the May 2009 issue of All at Sea, The Caribbean's Waterfront Magazine, www.allatsea.net - download May 2009! We're on page 30!