Whittier receives ‘forgotten’ books, money

Whittier Elementary School in Costa Mesa got a call about a month before Christmas with a surprise offer.

The Fashion Island Barnes & Noble asked to include the school in the company’s holiday drive where patrons can buy an extra book and donate it between Dec. 1 and Jan. 1.

Principal Tracy Carter said yes and then promptly forgot about the unexpected offer, she said.

A couple of weeks into January, she got another call. Whittier was about to get about 1,000 books from that drive plus $5,500 from City National Bank’s literacy program.

“We were just thrilled,” Carter said Tuesday, the day they received the check and books. “Those kinds of surprises are always awesome.”

During an assembly Tuesday morning, representatives from Barnes & Noble and City National presented the cash and books to Whittier students.

Kindergartners sang a song to welcome the corporate representatives who then got a chance to hang out and read to students in the library.

The donated books will go directly into the library, and the cash will be used to buy more.

“We’re just thrilled and excited and thank them very very much,” Carter said. “[You] can’t have enough books to put in the hands of all these kids who want to read.”

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck