Local Writers Group Helping Kids

Youngsters will leave the Westborough Public Library on Sunday with a gently used children’s book or young adult book, if they donate two of their own.

Children in Haiti and in Massachusetts will receive the donated books, and supplies such as crayons and chalk – 500 or more, if a local writers’ group’s first fundraiser has a memorable ending.

The Worcester Writers Collaborative’s Warm Hearts Children’s Book Drive is from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the library.

The proceeds will go to Cradles to Crayons in Massachusetts, as well as Our Little Brothers and Sisters Orphanage in Haiti.

The collaborative’s first fundraiser was the idea of member Christina Galeone, a Grafton resident who attends St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Westborough, says Cheryl Cory, who co-founded the writing group with Jessie Olson.

“She said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if the writers collaborative held a fundraiser for books, and we could send the ones that were good for Haiti down there, and the ones that, because shipping is kind of expensive, that they didn’t want to ship, we connected with Children for Crayons,’” Cory says.

St. Luke’s has supported the orphanage for more than 10 years, according to the parish’s website.

The parish is supporting Sunday’s book drive, Cory says.

“They’re sharing it in their bulletin. They’re sharing it with their religious ed students. They’re getting really involved,” she says.

More than 100 items have been collected so far, Cory says.

New books, coloring books, crayons, chalk, stickers, “board books” and hardcover books are among the items being accepted.

“Kids will bring two books at least that they’ll drop off on the table. And then they’ll get to look through the books that have been dropped off and take one book that they can take home with them.,” Cory says.

“It’s an exciting thing for them.”

Refreshments will be served. There also will be a raffle.

Cory says the writers collaborative consists of about 140 members,  50 of whom are active.

The group holds weekly write-ins: at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the NU Café in Worcester, and at 10 a.m. Saturdays at Barnes and Noble in Millbury.

“We get food, and we chat,” Cory says.

“We talk about books, writing until about 7 or 7:15 p.m. And then we actually write for one hour, and quietly work on our own projects. So, it’s a way that makes us disciplined. We know that if we show up, we’ll get some writing done.”