Over 25,000 school library books destroyed in Letcher flood; You can help!

Donate elementary and middle school books at any WCPS school

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Some Eastern Kentucky students are finally starting up school again, but a few school kids are returning to water destroyed libraries… all traces of books completely washed away. 

Letcher County schools posted pictures of their flood damaged libraries. 

Two elementary schools and one middle school together lost over 25,000 library books; that’s not to mention damage to the county’s public libraries and bookmobile.

Letcher County posted a request for book donations on social media, and immediately WCPS wanted to step up to the plate. 

Now through next Friday, September 9th, you can donate gently used, age appropriate books for middle and elementary school kids.

WCPS Director of Grants & Community Outreach Dr. Tracey Young said, “To be a part of [donating] as a district and have our team of 3000 employees do that for somebody else, To me is what life is about, and it’s what our educators are about.”

Book donation boxes are set up throughout all WCPS schools right inside their front doors. 

Lecher County Schools sent News 40 a statement saying, quote, “Thank you for thinking of all of us in Eastern Kentucky….” and, “The district has received multiple donations of books for which we are very grateful….”

WCPS says the need for donations hits close to home. 

“After the tornadoes, when people donated to us,” said Young. “It was such a tragic time, but it was also a time that restored your faith in humanity. So, when we received donations that we knew would be helpful, we would actually celebrate.”

So far, WCPS has donated over $21,000 in gift cards to Eastern Kentucky Family Resource Coordinators.

The county schools has also sent truckloads of donated furniture to impacted schools.