The General Henry William Harrington Chapter, NSDAR, recently honored Rhonda Williams with the Literacy Promotion Champion Award.
Williams, who established a Little Free Library in her front yard three years ago, aimed to give the children in her community the chance to own and enjoy books. A Little Free Library operates on a “take a book, share a book” principle, fostering a love for reading within the community.
Reflecting on her inspiration, Williams shared, “I had trouble reading in school. I believe if I had a library in the community, I would have read more. I had two teachers who helped me learn to read better and made me love to read.”
The response to her Little Free Library has been remarkable, with Williams refilling it four times over the summer. She strives to offer books suitable for all ages and even hopes to set up another library specifically for adults. The community support has been tremendous, with many people donating books whenever she posts on Facebook about needing more. As Williams puts it, “All I have to do is post on FB that I’m running low, and my porch fills up really fast.”
Her goal is to instill a love of reading in children from an early age.
“The kids in my neighborhood may never travel the world personally, but they can read about foreign countries and read about kings, queens, and princesses,” Williams said. She expresses gratitude for the opportunity to help children discover the joy of reading and encourages parents to introduce their children to the Bible. “It’s the greatest book you can read. It’s been on the best-sellers list for a long time,” she adds.
The Literacy Promotion Committee, created in 1989, promotes adult literacy and involvement in literacy programs for children and adults. The goal of Waving Our Banner for Literacy is to bring attention to illiteracy’s root causes and seek ways to improve and promote literacy in communities and our nation. Through her efforts, Williams embodies the DAR Mission, making a significant impact on her community and helping to foster a lifelong love of reading. Her dedication and passion for promoting literacy have made her a well-deserved recipient of the Literacy Promotion Champion Award.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a women’s service organization whose members can trace their lineage to an individual who contributed to securing American independence during the Revolutionary War. Today’s DAR is dynamic and diverse, with over 185,000 members in 3,000 chapters in the United States and abroad. DAR members annually provide millions of hours of volunteer service to their local communities across the country and world. DAR chapters participate in projects to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Over one million members have joined the organization since its founding in 1890.
If you are interested in learning more about DAR membership, visit https://www.facebook.com/RichmondCountyDAR/ or contact https://www.ncdar.org/GeneralHenryWilliamHarringtonChapter.html.
