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By SASHA JOHNS / Community Columnist

The Primrose School of Meadowbrook, collected over 200 books for the foster children of Shelby County in the month of February.

The Og’s Bountiful Book Drive is a yearly event for the school that uses one of the school’s many mascots, in this case, Og the Bookworm, to teach not only about the love of reading but also how to spread the joy of reading by giving books to those in need.

This is the school’s first year to team up with the Shelby County Foster Parents Association, and the drive was the perfect event to lead up to Dr. Seuss Week where the message of learning to read was reinforced with fun dress-up themes each day of the week as so many other schools did for Read Across America Week.

The new or gently used books crossed all age ranges and came from the 145 families that make up the student body of Primrose Meadowbrook.

Director Meghan MacDonald shared the work that her teachers do to make sure that the children in their care learn about not only reading but also caring for their community: “Our teachers really try to impress upon the students that giving without expectation is an important way to help those in need,” she said.

Addie, age 6, summed up the lesson by saying, “Well, it’s very important for everyone to have a book. If they don’t’ have a book then we should give some to them. Everyone should be able to read.”

The book drive is one of many Primrose Promise Giving events and includes food drives for food banks and jacket and diaper drives for Kings Home that the school hosts throughout the year to teach compassion through action to its students.

“We are constantly trying to teach these values to the kids in our care,” says MacDonald.

The Primrose School of Meadowbrook focuses on the care and education of children as young as six weeks old up through their private kindergarten. They also provide after-school care for kids up to age 12, and host summer day camps for children up to age 12 as well.

In addition, the Shelby County Foster Parents Association aims to provide not only for children entering and already in the county foster system, but also for the practical and emotional support of foster parents providing homes for children in need.

Though the official book drive is over, The Primrose School of Meadowbrook will happily continue to collect new or gently used books for the Shelby Foster Parents Association, whose hub is at The Hangar in Columbiana. To find out where to drop off books, call Meghan McDonald at 205-991-3020.