#Collinwoodreads-Something is New In Collinwood
A group of community members are working together to support a literacy initiative—Little Free Library Neighborhood(LFL)-- that began in Slavic Village with support for WKYC’s, Margaret Bernstein, Director of Advocacy and Community Initiatives. Because of its success, it is now expanding to three additional neighborhoods, Hough, Central and Collinwood. The focus is to show the importance of reading at community events, the library and neighborhood schools and other institutions in the neighborhood. In addition, the community focuses on being a Little Free Library Neighborhood, where Little Free Library (places where people can pick up free books to read). The Collinwood Neighborhood currently has several Little Free Libraries in the community but can always use more. This initiative hopes to increase the number, provide upkeep and re-stocking existing ones and create programming to support literacy by providing books for children, families and people.
Meetings to discuss the project are held on the first Thursday of the month at 6:00pm. A calendar of events to support #Collinwood Reads is being developed and any community organization/person can submit a program for inclusion in the yearlong literacy calendar May 2018-May 2019. The Collinwood Community media focus will be during the months of January-March of 2019. Literacy programs and or activities information can be sent to collinwoodreads@gmail.com. A Facebook page with the same name has also been created to feature programs and provide information on current and upcoming events. Cornerstone organizations that are currently involved include the Collinwood Rec Center, Collinwood Neighborhood Catholic Ministries, The Salvation Army Cleveland Temple Corps, Literacy Innovations, Cleveland Public Library Collinwood Branch, 12 Literary Arts, Councilmen Michael Polensek- Ward 8 and Anthony Hairston-Ward 10 and CDC’s Collinwood Nottingham Development Corp and Northeast Shores Development Corp.
People to contact for more information are Ebony Donlye, Literacy Innovations-216-481-7544, Caroline Peak, Manager of Cleveland Public Library-Collinwood Branch 216-623-6934 (216-346-2371-Mobile) and Margaret Craig, The Salvation Army Cleveland Temple Corp 216- 692-1388. This is a very exciting community initiative and we hope you will engage with usto make this 1-Collinwood—1-Community Literacy Initiative a huge success.
Caroline Peak
Caroline J. Peak, known as “Ms. Peak” to many, is a resident of the Collinwood Community for 30 plus years serving as a committed community leader, engager, and volunteer. Ms. Peak is very passionate about improving the quality of life for citizens by giving back to her community. Ms. Peak serves as the Public Service Manager of the Collinwood Branch of Cleveland Public Library and is a Certified Librarian having earned a Master’s Degree from Kent State University. Ms. Peak also serves as a True2U Mentor for 8th graders at Memorial School among her activities and engagement in neighborhood block associations, advisory committees, and civic engagement. She has participated in leadership programs to support her service as an Executive Committee member of Northeast Shores Development and Cleveland Housing Network, organizations that are devoted to the mission of improving the quality of life in neighborhoods. She was recently selected to serve on the Bond Accountability Commission of the Cleveland Municipal School District and a member of the Health Impact Committee for United Way and a steering member of HIP--Cuyahoga --Health Improvement Partnership to help build healthy communities.