The 2023 theme for Martin Luther King Jr. Day was, “Together we can be the dream.” To celebrate, the Santee Cooper Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity Awareness (IDEA) Council held a book drive hosted by the staff at Old Santee Canal Park.
More than 200 books were collected and distributed to several schools throughout the company’s service area including the following:
- Sampit Elementary
- Conway Elementary School
- Waccamaw Middle
- Waccamaw Elementary
- Loris Elementary
- Moncks Corner Elementary
- South Conway Elementary
To help facilitate the drive, an Amazon wish list was created providing those who donated an easy way to do so. Books that were purchased through Amazon were shipped directly to Old Santee Canal Park where they were collected and prepared for distribution to local schools.
These books will provide an opportunity for children to unlock their true potential by embracing the power of the written word,” said Old Santee Canal Park Education Coordinator III Adam Bedard.
Bedard shared his belief that education is the key to a brighter future and literature, in particular, helps children use their imaginations and see different points of view. Santee Cooper team members were very proud of their efforts to have a lasting impact on local youth. The Martin Luther King Jr. Book Drive will be an annual effort by Santee Cooper to help local schools promote literacy through classroom libraires and other initiatives like after-school programs.