Every year,
Captain Book and his crew, deliver scores of free hand-made,
hand-decorated treasure chests and thousands of free books to
pre-school-through-primary grade children. The Good Ship Literacy
goes to schools and other agencies where teachers pick out free
books for their students and/or classroom libraries. By putting
books in the hands of children who might not otherwise have them,
Captain Book and members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Encintas are
changing the world one child at a time.
The Captain and his crew are
made up of members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Encinitas and the
Kiwanis Club of Greater Encinitas Foundation. Community members
volunteer their time by donating and sorting books, building and
decorating treasure chests and donating money to keep The Good Ship
Literacy afloat.
The
Treasure Chest Literacy Program started in 2000, when retired
theater professor Dr. Morris Pike and Kiwanis Cub of Greater
Encinitas charter member Larry Marquardt built six treasure chests,
filled them with 40 books each and gave them to the Magdalena Ecke
YMCA. By late 2002, Dr. Pike created the good pirate Captain Book
who continues to visit classrooms inspiring children to read.
Dressing in his finest pirate attire and singing his finest pirate
songs, he tells tales about sailing ships and the brave men and
women who sailed them. He writes each child’s name in his Magic
Code Book when they promise him they’ll “read, read, read”.
Captain Book continues to visit classrooms, libraries and hospitals
in and around San Diego County, giving free books thousands of
children.
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