Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Altrusa International of Tucumcari recently donated 105 books to the Quay County Detention Center.
The books were used to expand the library at the detention center.
QCS photo: Jerrene Bradley
From left, Altrusa members Pat Clark, Merlinda Turner, Lou Briscoe, Sylvia Wampler and Evelyn Coughenhour.
Altrusa conducted an internal book drive and collected 95 books to donate the center and then the organization received a grant from the Altrusa International Foundation, Inc., which matched their $50. The additional money was used to purchase 10 more books requested by Victoria Stuchel, instructor at the detention center.
"Altrusa has been a great help. This donation from Altrusa has strengthened their reading ability because books are an integral part of what we do," Stuchel said. "I had several kids who did not know how to read and learned to read in the juvenile detention center, and most of them say that was the best thing that ever happened to them because it turned their life around."
Stuchel said that two years ago, Altrusa also donated about $300 worth of paperback books and a bookcase.
Lou Briscoe, chair of the Altrusa Literacy Committee, explained the importance of this international initiative.
"Literacy is the focus of Altrusa. We are grateful for the opportunity to help with this specific project," Briscoe said.
Briscoe said Altrusa plans to obtain another bookcase for the facility in the near future.