Redondo Beach Girl Scouts install Little Free Library

 

The Girl Scouts of Troop 5615, flanked by Beryl Heights Elementary School Principal Karen Mohr, left, and Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel, right, in front of their newly-installed Little Free Library. Courtesy photo.

The Girl Scouts of Troop 5615, flanked by Beryl Heights Elementary School Principal Karen Mohr, left, and Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel, right, in front of their newly-installed Little Free Library. Courtesy photo.

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, 20 beaming, screaming Girl Scouts unveiled their newest point of pride: A Little Free Library, built as part of a service project celebrating reusing and recycling resources.

The scouts and families of Troop 5615 installed their library in front of Beryl Heights Elementary School, 920 Beryl St., at 2:45 p.m. that day after showing off the project before their peers at the school’s weekly Town Hall meeting that morning.

“It’s great, because we’ve got concerned parents involved and girls interested in donating books,” said Mayor Steve Aspel, who was on hand to celebrate the library’s installation. “It’s great for them to put books out there and learn how to trust the community.”

The library, which now joins nine others scattered throughout Redondo Beach according to LittleFreeLibraries.com, was built from reclaimed and repurposed household wood and products, earning participating scouts their “Using Resources Wisely” patch.

Along with their families, the troops helped to build and paint the library.

“We wanted our library to be a representation of the girls’ hard work and their commitment to making the world a better place, starting with the community they live in,” said troop leaders Jessica Rendes and Odette Matthews. “With the girls now in first grade, they are starting to read more and are excited to visit the new Little free Library and pick out books to read or donate boos they’ve already read.”

“It’s important for all of our students and community to stress the importance of reading and literacy, and keeping kids interested in reading, making the active readers and making reading an important part of their lives,” said Beryl Heights principal Karen Mohr.

“[These girls] are very dedicated to helping others…around this time of year, we give thanks for what we have and we’re fortunate to live where we do with an ocean view even from here,” she said, looking out to the Pacific.

Aspel, who along with Mohr fielded hugs from the appreciative first graders, couldn’t help but notice the longevity of his city’s Little Free Libraries.

“The other ones around town don’t get vandalized…they’re sacred, and no one messes with them,” Aspel said. “Kids are way better than adults, you know?”

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