Late in January, the Booked Library and Literary Outreach Project challenged to the Timbers Army to collect 107 new and used soccer books for children who don't have access to many books at home. Partnering with the Children's Book Bank and tasked with at relatively short deadline of March 15, the challenge laid out was absolutely crushed by the TA faithful. On March 31, the Booked committee was proud to give the Children's Book Bank 156 soccer and 69 non-soccer books for a total of 255 books!

Key to the success of this book drive was the challenge laid forth by one of the newest Timbers Army regional subgroups, The Timbers Army - 1st Montana Volunteer Infantry, to all of the other regional subgroups to donate 5 or more books to the drive, a challenge that those groups embraced wholeheartedly. Throughout February and March, books poured in from all over the country with local participation keeping pace, filling the donation box on match days during pre-season and the first two home matches of the 2015 season.

Other highlights include special regional group sticker sales organized by Scott Brown of the East Coast Platoon and Aaron Flynn of the Lone Star Brigade, which together netted over $300 in cash, still to be used to increase the final tally of books.

Each and every book donation was important to the drive and the Booked Library Committee is beyond grateful to the many people who helped support literacy in our community.

Shawn Jaquiss (farthest right) of the Children's Book Bank, accepting the donation of books from the Booked team (kegs not included).

Booked! drive facts:

• The donation of 225 books means 30-40 children will be able to select up 5-10 soccer books each that they will get to keep. 
• In low income neighborhoods the ratio of books to children is one book for every 300 children.
• This year, about 15,000 books will be donated, cleaned and delivered to area children by the Children's Book Bank. 
• In the nearly 8 years the Children's Book Bank has existed, about 30,000 youth have received over 450,000 books.
• The most commonly donated books in the Timbers Army Booked Drive was "Winners Never Quit" by Mia Hamm (28) followed by "The Kicks: Saving the Team" by Alex Morgan (20) and "Keeper" by Mal Peet (17). 
• The Booked! team will be teaming up with the Children's Book Bank for the final book cleaning project of this year at Marshall High School campus on Saturday, April 25th from 1:00-4:00 PM. An eventbrite will be posted soon for you to register.