The Travis Manion Foundation is seeking volunteers from the Annapolis community to donate a book, read to a student, and plant flowers at Walter S. Mills-Parole Elementary School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, as part of the Foundation’s Operation Legacy community service initiative.
“We are asking members of the Annapolis community to stop by the school and donate a book so that every student can bring one home,” said Travis Manion Foundation representative and Annapolis resident Natanya Levioff. “Our goal is 620 books across grades K-5.”
Said Ginger Henley, principal at Walter S. Mills-Parole Elementary: “We are so delighted that the Travis Manion Foundation has chosen our school for its Operation Legacy Community Service Project. Almost 80 percent of our students are from under-resourced families and most do not have their own books at home.”
Henley added, “We have an intentional focus of all students reading at or above grade level by the end of second grade. We also focus on reading strategies and promoting a love of reading from Pre-K through 5th grade. By donating these books, the community is helping our students practice at home the important reading techniques that they learn at school.”
At the event, participants will have an opportunity to be paired with students for on-the-spot reading and mentoring sessions. Volunteers will also help the school welcome spring by planting flowers at the main entrance.
“We chose to hold our Operation Legacy project on April 29 to mark the 10th anniversary of when Travis was killed in action in Iraq while saving his wounded teammates,” said Levioff, who served as the announcer when Manion wrestled as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. “Ten years later, there is no better way to honor his memory than by doing for others who are in need in our community.”
Levioff noted that the Annapolis book drive is one of over 25 Operation Legacy projects sponsored by the Travis Manion Foundation during its national week of service April 22- 30. Operation Legacy aims to cultivate character development in future generations by uniting communities for a common cause through volunteer led service opportunities.
This is the second year Annapolis has hosted an Operation Legacy event. Last year local Travis Manion Foundation volunteers partnered with the pediatric unit of Anne Arundel Medical Center to donate 50 decorated toy boxes filled with toys to kids with severe illness being treated at the center.
Volunteers who sign up by April 14th will receive an Operation Legacy T-shirt from the Foundation.
For more information on the Travis Manion Foundation or to register to volunteer at the April 29 book drive, please go to: www.TravisManion.org/OpLegacy/Annapolis
