The Stout Books For Africa Walk: Great Success!
The Stout Books For Africa Walk: Great Success!
For a man who made a living working with cars, Tom Warth, the founder of Books For Africa, sure does love to take walks.
From April 26th-28th, 2013, Tom Warth and a contingency of BFA supporters took a hike from the University of Wisconsin Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin, to the Books For Africa office in St Paul, Minnesota, a total distance of 68 miles. Each walker carried a college level book donated by the university on the first part of its journey to Africa.
At 77, Warth may have been pushing it a bit, but with a determined attitude he and his team walked to raise awareness for BFA’s cause to end the book famine in Africa.
This walk was more than just a fun jaunt in the finally-arrived spring here in Minnesota. Walkers asked friends and family to help raise the funds to bring a container of books to a former UW-Stout student who has now returned to his home in Nigeria. These books will be distributed to schools and libraries in his home district to give other Nigerian students the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
At the end of the walk, all walkers deposited their books in collection bins below the iconic Books For Africa sign outside of the St. Paul office and celebrated a job well done at a favorite local establishment just down the street, Golden’s Deli.
Though the walk is over, you can still contribute to the Nigeria project that walkers raised funds for on Razoo or by sending a cash or check donation to Books For Africa with a note in the memo line referring to the Stout Walk.
Tom’s walk made a big splash! View some of the media outlets that picked up the story:
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_23123596/48-mile-trek-raises-awareness-pledges-books-africa
http://www.presspubs.com/messenger/news/article_9de3e48c-b1b3-11e2-a787-0019bb2963f4.html