Wilsonville Elementary is one of 12 schools in North Central Alabama to receive new books for children, ages 5-17, from Girl Scouting and the Cahaba Girl Scout Council.

Schools receiving the books are participating in the Alabama Reading Initiative, had recent natural disasters or are under-served.

The 3,000 books collected from October 2001 to March 2002 were delivered on Oct. 8 and 9. And Girl Scout troops in Shelby County, Blount, Cherokee, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair and Walker were supported by Books-A-Million Inc. and library systems in the collection effort.

Wilsonville Elementary Principal Rosemary Liveoak said she did not know how many books her school received on Oct. 8, but

she said it was &uot;a huge box full.&uot;

And she called the donation &uot;wonderful because it adds to our collection, and it adds to the assortment.&uot;

&uot;It is wonderful to have an organization willing to do this,&uot; Liveoak said.

But she said it was not uncommon. She said Central Alabama Community College in Childersburg has adopted Wilsonville Elementary; the Kiwanis Club is working with all the elementary schools in the area; and the school has received support from the Wilsonville Civitan Club.

Liveoak said the Girl Scout troop has always participated in community based projects.

&uot;The values these girls learn from giving, sharing and donating is something that they will remember the rest of their lives.&uot;

She also said it special because it is &uot;children helping other children.&uot;

She said the local troop is led by hard working, honest adults.

Girl Scouts meeting at Wilsonville Elementary are Junior Troop 169 led by Amanda Vick and Brownie Troop 493 led by Lisa Roberson. There are 30 Brownies and 15 Juniors from Shelby, Wilsonville and Columbiana, said Roberson. She said the girls individually participated in the book collection effort.

Armstrong Relocation Inc. picked up the books from collection sites, stored the books and delivered them to the schools. As 2002 is the 90th birthday of Girl Scouting, the Girl Scouts of the Cahaba Council were happy to celebrate and to provide &uot;Books for Alabama’s Children.&uot;

Schools receiving the books included Wilsonville Elementary, Rock Ridge Elementary in Hoover, Hall-Kent Elementary in Homewood, Elyton Elementary School in Birmingham, Blountsville Elementary in Blountsville, Lupton Junior High in Nauvoo,

Carbon Hill High in Carbon Hill, Lipscomb Elementary School in Lipscomb, Eden Elementary in Pell

City, Duck Springs Elementary in Attala, Jessie Dean Smith Elementary in Gadsden and Cedar Bluff School in Cedar Bluff.

Girl Scouts of the USA is the world’s pre-eminent organization for girls with a membership of more than 3.5 million girls and adults. Since its founding in 1912 GSUSA helps cultivate values, social conscience and self-esteem in young girls while teaching them critical life skills that will enable them to succeed as adults