BY AMY BALTODANO
Hays Post

The Hays Rotary Club was at Washington Elementary School on Friday, along with Scholastic Book Club, with a special treat for the 160 students — two free books for the summer.

Club member Larry Dreiling hopes the children will be able to develop a “love and appreciation of reading when they get older.”

A few of the fifth-grade students recall receiving books since kindergarten and were excited when they were informed the Rotary members would be at their school. It will be the last giveaway at Washington, which will close at the end of the year as a Hays USD 489 education center.

The students had several options to choose from. Once, the students selected their books, they made their way over to the members who assisted with the books. Each of the members helped put their name on the books and made sure there was a Rotary Club sticker inside each book cover.

At the end of the line, there was a box to put the books in.

“Put the book in the box,” said Dreiling. “We need to pay for the books first before you go home.”

The students will receive the books on Monday or Tuesday.

The Washington staff and students are going to be greatly missed, according to Dreiling.

“We are going to miss this school so much,” he said. “Mr. Park is a great leader, as well as all the teachers … a lot of love, a lot of caring kids.”