Speaker: Kim Covill
Kim Covill is a fluent speaker of Spanish and the founder and president of From Books to Brilliance, an organization working to promote literacy in impoverished communities. In this program, she tells her story of visiting a small town in Nicaragua and how it brought a new focus to her life.
Kim lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is not only new to our club, but new to Rotary! Please welcome her by enjoying the story she has shared with us.
CovillFromBookstoBrilliance.pdf
This week comments: 122, this week visitors: 101
As a member of our club literacy committee, we are always on the lookout for international projects. I'll make the effort to learn more about FBTB and see if there's some way that we can cooperate.
Books are so important in the lives of everyone but especially the children. What a terrific project. Keep up the good work.
This was a great program and service. Elizabeth Niemi
People often think, "I'm only one person. What can I do to change the world?" Read Kim's story. You will never ask such a question again.
I'm for any program that brings books to those who have never had them. Bravo, Kim!
Really enjoyed the you tube link for the Rotary Minute; the opening Inspiration Thought from Paul Newman; and the program From Books to Brilliance.
Happy to see these children getting the books they need. I on behalf of our club applaud Kim's efforts.
You have a good eClub with a variety of interesting meetngs anytime I need to do a make up.
Plaease ask your Webmaster or website creator to optimize your website for more browser program than just MS Internet Explorer. While IE is still #1 it is down to about 63% of users. Firefox, Safari, and Chrome are used by thousands of Internet users.
A terrific program!
Books to brilliance. What a wonderful project!
HOW ARE SERVICES HOUURS COUNTED
Its wonderful your are doing....giving knowledge and powerr through books
For more than 30 years, even way before I was directly involved in Rotary, I have met many young people whose lives were changed by how Rotary and Rotarians benefited them when they were very young. These people have gone on to become important forces for changes for the better in societies in many different countries. These kinds of programs for the children make an impact that may not be felt by others who were not directly involved for 30 or 40 years. But be assured that somewhere down the road, many years later, you will bump into these people who were young children in this project, and they will be out there helping others and changing other peoples lives. What we do has a logarithmic impact on the world.
The best reward I have ever received in life is to smile from a child. It gives value to life.
Happy Birthday Carol Anderson.
Congratulations for successfully conducting service project on Tuesday, March 23rd “The Rotary 4-Way Test Program”.
What a wonderful project! From Books to Brilliance is changing the future for those children who had no hope before. Just another example of what Rotary and its partners can do.
We who have always had books cannot really understand what it means not to have them. Books are friends, they take us on adventures, they let us know about other countries, they make us laugh and cry. What a gift this library is!
This program illustrates something important that may get "lost in the shuffle" during tough economic times, downsizing, etc.: things that feed the mind, like books, music, and art, are just as important as mechanical things. We need to balance the two when cutting back.
Again another inspiring program by one of our own. Congratualtions and continued success on what you are doing for the children.
I am always interested in anything that has to do with literacy. I enjoyed reading about From Books to Brillance.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this wonderful meeting. It is especially gratifying to learn that Rotarians in other parts of the US are working to establish libraries in areas that really need them. My wife and I are Rotarians and Reading educators, who helped to establish a library in an elementary school in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas (Mexico). Our experiences seem to be very similar. Best wishes for continued success.
I am the Secretary for the Del City, Oklahoma, Rotary Club. I am visiting your site to create instructions for our members so they can use your site to make-up meetings.
Your site is user friendly and I like the format.
There is much help being sent to other countries by USA. I would like to see emphasis on what we need here at home. Although I would support any help given to someone that needs books.
What a wonderful mission this group has and how beautifully they perform it!
I enjoyed the program, we work with the Imagination Library to help illiteracy in Alabama
wonderful program, its heart warming to see how far donations goes to build the future for the children in Nacaragua.
Yay Kim! Welcome to electronic Rotarydom. I'm astounded at your accomplishments. My sister-in-law lives in Abique where she's on the board of the small local library.
That was a very moving video!.
We continue to be asked to list volunteer hours that we have dedicated to other programs/organizations on our site so our club can impress RI with how much volunteering we do. I can't do it. I believe claiming those hours for our club is fudging. It does not pass the 4-way test because those are not Rotary hours.
From someone who greatly enjoys reading, this story reminds me of why I joined Rotary - I should never take the amenities offered in my community for granted as there are so many others less fortunate that would love to have our City library
Unfortunately, From Books to Brilliance could not be downloaded.
Yes, first allow me to compliment your development as a club. Years ago when you started Southwest USA I must have been one of your initial visitors. Your format and presentation are excellent. Thank you Kim for the courage and tenacity to give life to Books to Brilliance and I make that statement as a librarian (Director of the Northbrook, Illinois Public Library (Chicago). My condolences and tribute to the life of Samuel and may his memory encourage service above self. I visited your club for a make-up but you have provided much more...thank you. I look forward to my next visit to your club. Chad
This program touched my heart. I take for granted the piles of books in my daughter's room. I must remember how lucky we are to have books and how lucky we are to be able to read them.
This is an organization I would be interested in helping. I live in New Mexico and would be happy to assist in any way possible.
Thanks for being here
Excellet program showing how a small group can have a lasting effect on a small third world town. Librarys are a great way to help local education.
Wow! What a wonderfully enlightening and uplifting program! Many thanks to From Books to Brilliance for making a positive impact on our global community and it's children.
The From Books to Brilliance is a wonderful, inspiring projgram. Keep up the good work.
craig roberts
Flagstaff, AZ
Your club has the most interesting programs. I really enjoy making up my meeting with your club. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for have this meeting. The youtube was very touching.
The format is interesting and more closely reflects a regular meeting than some others that I have visited. Thanks for the good works.
Thank you for an inspiring article. I especially appreciated her conclusions on the importance of an organized and motivated community to make a successful project. It will help us in Bali to choose most effective projects.
Literacy is the first step to the process of leaving poverty. This project is an excellent example of how to make that step happen. Libraries are a crucial element of any community.
It is with small efforst that larger projects begin. The literacy program is a major satr and benefit fro these children.
Thanks for a very interesting program, Kim! Let's partner up with your organization next Rotary Year (begins July 1) and see what projects our eCLub can help you accomplish!
Thanks for the information and for having this service available.
Welcome Kim to the E-Club. Thank you for giving the chilren a future they would otherwise only dream about.
I'm impressed with the qualify of programs of this club.
This program once again shows the heart of Rotary.
This is very valuable for a makeup, but I'm having trouble connecting with an earlier meeting. I'll keep trying.
thank you very nice format and program
Very inspiring.
From Books to brilliace is a wonderful organization. I learned that there was a Dr. Seuss Foundation. Impoverished children will maybe get a chance to take a trip in their minds through the books so graciously donated. In our own country we have access to libraries at most any time and they are not widely appreciated here, which is a terrible shame. Community lending of books is a great idea. Heartwarming story. I wish FBTB much success.
Thank you from Texas
Always inspiring to do a little more
Finish Meeting
Excellent program!
It took me a while to figure out the web site info, but it was worthwhile to learn about eclubs.
Interesting program library.
I'm a new member of Rotary and it seems that your club does many wonderful things with your community.
It is really a wonderful project to help the sick to be able to see a dream come true.
Very Inspirational! Thanks
Inspiring! Since she is only 75 miles from Socorro, my club, I can't wait to see if she will visit us! thanks, r!
Felicidades Kim: la educación es el único camino para lograr la paz y el progreso entre los pueblos del mundo, si tienes algo en mente en lo que podamos ayudarte desde Monterrey México asolo saber y con mucho gusto trataremos de ayudarte.
It was a nice variety of items.
Great meeting, congratulations Chicago
Thank you very interesting meeting
All About the pinch of salt. incredible that a family will survive with $ 700.00 a year
Good meetting
Very educatinal
What an incredible story! And what courage! I will continue to track this wonderful story.
Very fascinating and inspiring to see what paople are doing for other people
Ecellent Meeting
Liked the information shared during the meeting through this printed format, and also enjoyed the meeting concerning the Rotary/One Speech. The 105th celebration was indeed a grand event.
Excellent program
I have long felt that a free, public library is one of a community's greatest assets and probably most often taken for granted.
What a wonderful literacy program!
I have enjoyed the program and can say it was very well presented. Books to Brilliance program reminds me of my Rotary clubs participation in providing books to Coasta Rica. A job well done by everyone.
I enjoyed the comical little story about the man with hearing problems. Also, the biographical information about Paul Newman was enlightening. Especially his charitable work is inspirational to many, I'm sure.
I thought it was good that the President and other officers' comments were included; it lets us learn what your club is doing.
The program was well done, the pictures added to the program.
What a great story and a wonderful project. Keep up the good work! PF
This is the first time I have used this method of make up/ I found it to be very interesting and educational
Congratulations on your club's growth. I appreciate your email meetings. This is my second visit.
Thank you!
Your web site is excellent. The way your e-club meeting is conducted is remarkable. I have attended many e-club meetings but no other e-club can match with you. You are conducting your meeting exactly the same way the meetings are conducted in any other clubs. The program is extraordinary.
This can be a tremendous influence in a childs life. The club in North Ft Worth, where I was inducted into Rotary in 1973 and shortly thereafter spent a year as Club President, now donates a book to the library in a nearby school in the name of the guest speaker at each weeks meeting instead of giving them a ball point pen with Rotary on it - or some such. That is nearly 50 books a year, every year! Something to consider.
Ron Zodin, North Richland Hills, Tx, (Lancaster, Tx Rotary Club)
Thank you Kim for this wonderful program giving us the opportunity to read about your service. We shall want to hear from you as you expand and expand. Well done!
Speaker Kim Covill introduces us to the inspiring story of From Books to Brilliance (FBTB), a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide books to impoverished communities. The idea germinated from a visit to Nicaragua in 2006 where Kim was "appalled" to discover the primitive school conditions in a particular rural village. The following June, with a $3,000 Dr. Seuss Foundation grant in hand, "over nine hundred books" were donated to the "Biblioteca Samuel Vidaurre", a twenty year dormant library in Mulukuku. Upon this modest foundation, FBTB was formed. The organization has grown in both volunteers and outreach. Two village libraries are now supported. Efforts are also being coordinated in Wisconsin and New Mexico through university student organizations to raise money to expand service. FBTB has accomplished a great deal in a very short time!
Again, a very enjoyable experience and interesting topics. I'm always encouraged to hear about strides in literacy
That was a very inspirational program! Our Rotary had done something like that on a smaller scale in Bali several years ago. This sounds like a very organized effort, and I commend them and welcome to Rotary!
I have never heard, read or written a story about the gift of a book which did not have a profound effect upon both the giver and the receipient!
WELL DONE
Wonderful work Kim congratulations on becoming a member of the E club ,as I have said previous some of our best programs are from our own members,this one is very special,you will be an assett to our Club.
Ruston ,Larry keep up the good work I look forward to the programs and meetings every week.
Excellent meeting.
excellent organization and thier efforts to provide books to the poor
Literacy is often taken for granted but it is the key to civic, social and economic development. Thank you for sharing the "From Books to Brilliance" story. I will log on again to read more.
The Tahoe City Rotary Club secretary's e-mail is bpohle@inreach.com
Interesting meeting.
Good program! Literacy is important world wide.
Very enjoyable program. I would like to know more about the four way test program you presented. Any links to lean this.
Our local club is very active in literacy projects in our area. As a small business man I see the results of people unable to read and comprehend technical manuals in their everyday job. I was happy to see this project includes helping the Native Americans in the New Mexico.
Great video about what the Calgary Olympic club has done, and great work being done by Kim and her team. I'm proud to be a Rotarian!
I enjoyed reading the article about From Books to Brilliance. What a wonderful story. It always amazes the generosity of people and the gifts they so willingly give. I am sure Kim Covill never imagined what her trip to Nicaragua would start!
As a new member it is amazing to see the international reach of Rotary. The story illustrates the needs around the globe and those right here at home.
good article.
I forgot to mention that Dr. Seuss was a graduate of Dartmouth College, where I attended and worked for the same humor magazine there (at different times, of course). We both won ice sculpture awards at Winter Carnival in the same year (he returning as an alumni and me as an undergraduate). He is one of my heroes still (and my daughter, when she was small, thought that the three greatest books ever written were Green Eggs and Ham, Green Eggs and Ham and Green Eggs and Ham). She still reads that book to her kids. It was good to see that money from his Foundation is still helping children.
Dear Kim, welcome to the eClub. I enjoyed reading of what is happening with From Books to Brillance. Even with all the technological advances, books still are the main source of knowledge and the key to escape poverty in the world. Thank you for your most excellent work.
