Combined Manhattan Rotary Dictionary Project-2010

On Wednesday afternoon, October 27, 2010 a combined group of Rotary Volunteers from the Manhattan Konza Rotary Club (morning club) and the Manhattan Rotary Club (noon club) affixed Rotary stickers to 552 paperback dictionaries and thesauruses. Along with 16 K-State basketball players, there to assist in handing out books, Rotary volunteers visited 11 elementary schools in Manhattan for book distribution. Fifth graders in USD 383 received thesauruses and fourth graders at Seven Dolors and Flint Hills Christian Schools received dictionaries. The reference books are intended to aid students in their school work. A total of 552 books valued at $1,094 were distributed. The books were purchased by the Manhattan Rotary Club and the Manhattan Konza Rotary Club from the Dictionary Project in Kansas City. This is a nonprofit organization that promotes the distribution of reference books to school children nation-wide. The books were also partially funded with a Rotary International grant from Rotary District 5710. The two Manhattan Rotary clubs have collaborated on this project since 2005 to support literacy and education. This is the first year KSU basketball players have participated. Players who helped distribute the books visited with kids about keeping up their studies and, of course, about Wild Cat basketball. Photo--L to R Back row: Seven Dolors 4th Grade teacher Sandy Nilges, Konza Rotary Dictionary Project Coordinator, Fred Atchison, Jr., Manhattan Rotary volunteer Ron Pape, KSU basketball players Will Spradling, Nick Russell and Wally Judge. Front row: Manhattan Catholic School 4th grade students with their new dictionaries. (Check out other pictures in the photo gallery)