Name: Brooke Wenk, 12
School:
Accomplishment: As Brooke prepares for her February 2012 Bat Mitzvah, she is working on a special community service project. Brooke is collecting, sorting and distributing books for Bernie’s Book Bank. Bernie's Book Bank facilitates the collection, processing and redistribution of quality new and gently used children's books to increase book ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children living throughout Chicagoland. This project combines her love of books with a special tribute; Brooke was named after her maternal grandfather, Bernard, so the name of the organization has special significance for her family. Brooke’s goal is to collect 100 books per month between now and her Bat Mitzvah. She is helping at the book warehouse by sorting books and preparing them to be delivered to area schools. In the fall, Brooke will deliver books to a school. This is a project she and her family will be able to do together well beyond her Bat Mitzvah.
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Key to Awesomeness: Brooke has loved books since before she could read. In order to support access to books and to share her love of books to with others, Brooke has been sending emails to friends, her parents have posted signs at their workplaces, and her parents have put messages on their Facebook pages. The planning time is intensive and will include getting door hangers to put around the neighborhood and collection boxes at area businesses. Brooke is no stranger to community service. She and her father deliver holiday food for Maot Chitim, an organization that provides food to families who are unable to make a special holiday meal. As if that is not enough, Brooke also participates on her school’s track team and in the cooking club!
