The Christian County Literacy Council will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil a book vending machine at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Visitor’s Center, 1730 E. Ninth St.
Community members are invited to the ceremony to see the vending machine, which will remained in the Visitor’s Center. Several elementary school students will participate, along with representatives of Atmos Energy. The utility company donated the vending machine to the literacy council.
Francene Gilmer, the literacy council’s executive director, said the name of the machine will be announced Thursday. Local teachers participated in a naming contest, and the winner will receive $500 from Atmos to use in their classroom.
“Atmos will have gift bags for the students and the machine will be demonstrated and ready for use,” Gilmer said in an email.
Books appropriate for elementary school students will be stocked in the machine. Buyers will use tokens they earn through their schools.
“We’ve invited each school to come up with their own criteria to get the books,” Gilmer told Hoptown Chronicle.
However, to get the program launched, the literacy council will use an honor system during the month of September allowing students to receive a token if they go into the Visitor’s Center and state that they have recently read three books. The Visitor’s Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
