Service in action filled a Cherry Hill warehouse on Sunday, Sept. 13 as members of the Voorhees-Gibbsboro Lions Club traded their weekend routines for a few hours of sorting books and supporting childhood literacy.
Five club members — First Vice President Sapana Raval, Community Chair Sue Gilbert, Secretary Lisa Hibner, Aarthi Ramesh and Sangita Dave — volunteered at BookSmiles, a nonprofit organization that collects, sorts and distributes books to children, educators and communities in need.
The volunteer opportunity came about after Ramesh learned about BookSmiles through social media and suggested it as a potential service project for the club.
Gilbert then contacted BookSmiles Volunteer Engagement Coordinator Rochelle Smith to arrange the visit.
Once at the Cherry Hill facility, the Lions got a firsthand look at an organization that has grown from a grassroots effort operating out of a garage into a large-scale literacy nonprofit. According to Gilbert, BookSmiles has donated more than 5 million books since 2017.
Smith welcomed the group and shared the history of BookSmiles and its mission to give new life to books while promoting childhood literacy, inspiring readers, supporting educators and strengthening communities.
Then it was time to get to work.
Surrounded by thousands of donated books, the Lions joined other community volunteers in sorting and organizing materials for distribution. As forklifts moved large bins throughout the warehouse, volunteers categorized books into children’s and adult sections, teacher resources and overflow areas.
They also sorted specialty materials, including holiday books, foreign-language titles, educational workbooks and other resources. Books were inspected as they moved through the process to help ensure they were suitable for their next readers.
For Raval, the experience also brought back memories of reading with her own children. Familiar titles such as Curious George, Diego and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom stood out among the thousands of books passing through volunteers’ hands.
“Doing this community service brings an incredible, unmatched sense of satisfaction and energy, but seeing those classic children’s books brought back such wonderful, personal memories of reading with my own kids,” Raval said. “Knowing that we are helping other children discover that same magic and love of reading makes it all the more meaningful.
“BookSmiles is doing phenomenal work, and our team would love to return and volunteer here again.”
The project fit naturally with the Lions Club’s longstanding emphasis on community service. The Voorhees-Gibbsboro club participates in initiatives that include youth programs, community workshops, food drives, eyeglass collections, vision screenings and other volunteer efforts throughout South Jersey.
Gilbert said seeing the sheer number of books inside the warehouse underscored the impact community organizations and volunteers can have when they work together.
“When you step inside a warehouse filled wall-to-wall with stories waiting for a second life, you realize just how vital community support is,” she said.
The Lions’ involvement with BookSmiles won’t end with Sunday’s volunteer shift.
The Voorhees-Gibbsboro Lions Club plans to hold a book collection from Feb. 13 through Feb. 21 during Lions Club Youth Week, with donated books going to BookSmiles. Additional details about the collection will be announced closer to the event.
The partnership reflects a common goal shared by the two organizations: putting books into the hands of young readers and using literacy to strengthen communities.
For the Voorhees-Gibbsboro Lions, the effort also puts the Lions motto — “We Serve” — into action, one book at a time.
