The simple vision of a book in every child’s hand has led to a massive book donation, thanks to local teens.

Members of Turlock’s Teen Advisory Council collected nearly 2,000 children’s books in recent months, which were donated Tuesday to the Turlock Gospel Mission Homeless Assistance Ministry and to Child Protective Services in Modesto.

“We’re unloading books that we raised for the children,” explained TAC member Cassie Lovell, a Turlock High freshman.

The books came from friends, family, service clubs, Turlock businesses, and members of the TAC themselves. Nearly half came from Nancy Haydock, a retired Turlock teacher.

This marked the second year of the children’s book drive; last year, books were donated to the Children’s Crisis Center’s Verda’s House. But this year the TAC decided to donate the books somewhere new, with a particular effort to benefit homeless children.

Children will be allowed to take the books with them, rather than use them only on site. It’s not intended to be a library system, either – the books are meant for the children to own.

Though the book drive has concluded this year, TAC expects to continue the project next year.

TAC is still collecting cell phones – functioning or not – for a program which gives soldiers free phone time. TAC is also in search of new members, who must interested in helping the community, be in 7th to 12th grade, and either a Turlock resident or a student at a Turlock school.

For more information on the cell phone drive, or to join TAC, call 668-5584.