A Heart to Serve Others is Contagious!

If you ask anyone on staff at Promising Pages, they will gladly tell you that our volunteers play a very critical role in our organization. In just the past month, I have seen a number of volunteers come through our doors, and it truly is a testament to how much people believe in the power of reading. Our volunteers are dedicated and motivated to achieving our mission, and our successes and movements within the community wouldn’t be possible without them.

Almost every week, Promising Pages brings a sense of hope and joy to the children at Crisis Assistance Ministry through our mascot, Erma the Bookworma, and our Magic Books. A few weeks ago, I experienced something at Crisis that I had never seen before. Making our way through the rows of disheartened adults and children, I saw our Magic Books spark something in the hearts of the people we encountered. It wasn’t simply a smile and a thank you, it was a desire to do something more. In that day alone, I heard a handful of people ask for more information about Promising Pages. These people wanted to know more about our organization because they felt an overwhelming sense to do whatever they could to make a difference.

Seeing the hearts of these people open up to the idea of serving was very exciting and inspiring for me. The people in Crisis that day were most likely feeling down on their luck, hopeless, and defeated. However, those feelings did not stop them from seeking out any opportunity to give what they could. Time, energy, and passion are just a few things a person needs to serve the people around them. Whatever a person brings to the table has the power to make a difference and impact the community in monumental ways. That’s the beauty of seeing the people in Crisis being moved to serve. Perhaps they feel like they don’t have much to give, but they want to give all that they do have to helping other people. Each person we met that day has a variety of skill sets and talents that make them perfect for volunteering with Promising Pages.

There isn’t a rule book or list of requirements to serve people who need a helping hand. At some point, everyone could use a little help. All it takes is a heart that is willing and ready to do something more. The heart to serve others truly is contagious, and I’m so thankful that it is.

Thank you to all of our faithful volunteers for making the past five years such a success. You have been a blessing to Promising Pages and the Charlotte area!

If you are interested in volunteering with Promising Pages, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Arlethia Hailstock, at arlethia@promisingpages.com. 

The Life of an Intern: My First Day as Erma the Bookworma

When I think of the word “bookworm,” I think of someone who is a little on the reserved side. Someone who is cautious of the world around them. Someone who tends to shy away from others and hide themselves as a means of protection. They love to read a good book as a way of escaping the world by entering into another.

I consider myself to be a bookworm, and I definitely resonate with the solitude that typically goes along with getting lost in a book. When I first heard about Erma the Bookworma, I was instantly nervous about putting on the costume and being in the spotlight. While I’m not one to back down from a challenge, I’m an introvert at heart. However, being an introverted person isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy my fifteen seconds of fame every once in a while. The idea of being Erma the Bookworma for the first time was both exciting and terrifying.

Stepping into the shoes of Promising Pages’ beloved mascot, I realized I had never experienced real fear. Being scared to leave my comfort zone is nothing compared to the crippling fear that every family at Crisis Assistance Ministry knows all too well. I grew up in a safe area surrounded by schools and churches. I never had to worry about being evicted from my childhood home. I never went to bed hungry. I never had to choose between sheer survival and my education. But the kids I met as Erma the Bookworma face those fears every single day. Their families are on the brink of losing everything, or perhaps they already have.

 Erma the Bookworma brings a sense of hope and happiness to the families at Crisis Assistance Ministry. Every Magic Book given to a child from Erma has the power to inspire and change lives. I know this because I’ve experienced the smiles on discouraged faces. The excitement in opening a book and reading the first page.

For just a second, a visit from Erma the Bookworma helps families at Crisis to forget. To forget the fears and the uncertainties and imagine something better. I truly believe that our Magic Books can show these families that education and reading lead to a path of prosperity. 

Even the bond created between parent and child through a shared reading experience can move mountains. In fact, research shows that students are more likely to succeed academically and socially when parents are engaged and involved in their learning. One of the most important things Erma and the Magic Books can do for a parent and child is provide the space for mutual learning. The sad reality I have learned from going to Crisis is that many parents lack the resources or time to actively read by themselves or with their children. If we are going change the way young children view reading, we must first start by changing parent perspective.

Perhaps bookworms read books to escape reality, or maybe they read to overcome their fears. Perhaps reading is the first step in chasing their dreams. But it all starts with a book. A Magic Book from Erma the Bookworma can change everything.

After my first few weeks as an intern with Promising Pages, I can confidently say that books matter. They matter more than we think. Even in my own life, I have no idea where I would be without books.

Where would you be?