Organizers are calling this year’s “Reading With Marvel Comics Book Drive” a success. A grand total of 21,000 books were collected to support the Fresno County Sheriff’s Reading Posse.
The community came out bright and early to show their support for the “Reading With Marvel Comics Book Drive.” Disney and Marvel Comics, donated 20,000 books to kick start the drive. For Sheriff Margaret Mims reading is a passion, but after seeing the rate of illiteracy among those in jail and at juvenile halls, she decided to start the “Sheriff’s Posse” a program where deputies hand out books to Valley kids.
“The public wants to help and many times they don’t know how. This gives anybody the opportunity to help out — not just the Sheriff’s office, but the children in our community, and prevent crime in the future,” said Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.
Other residents heard that message and dropped off books at the Sheriff’s sub station off Shields and Clovis. Deputies were on hand to collect the books, which they will in turn give out to kids in the community or while children are visiting a family member at the jail.
Parent Delilah Martinez brought her own kids by the book drive to donate. “My children love to read and we buy them books often. So we just thought we would share with other children who don’t have the same opportunities.”
Her son Eight year old Jaime Martinez was happy to donate books on behalf of his siblings and got a comic book in return. “I just wanted to give some books to kids that need to learn to read.”
