While the gymnasium at BHMS is usually used for physical education classes, on October 22, it was filled with more books than sports equipment.

  “It was amazing,” says Bloomfield Hills Schools Community Service Co-Chairwoman Sarah Saltzman. “We stopped counting at 16,945 [books] so our official statement is over 17,000. Each school had a coordinator who was responsible for counting their own books and dropping them off. But then on Saturday at the event, [students and parents] were walking in with bags an bags of books and at that point there was really no way [to count]. It was incredible. Mary and I just wanted a good drive.  We never put a number around it but this was way beyond our expectations.”

  On the fourth Saturday of October, schools around the country hold community service events in honor of Make a Difference Day.  Make a Difference Day was created by USA Weekend Magazine and according to their website is, “the nation’s largest day of volunteering.” This year Bloomfield Hills decided to host a book drive for the Detroit Public Library’s children’s library.

  “Last year the students said they loved being able to see what we were collecting, understand where it’s going and they liked helping other kids,” shares Saltzman. “Our goal this year was to find something that was in our community, that was great for kids, and that was something our kids could understand.  So we started talking about improving literacy and that’s how we came to the children’s library at the Detroit Public Library.”

  In addition to providing books, the schools also raised money for the library.

  “We had the Detroit Public Library’s children’s librarian make a wish list,” says Saltzman. “Most of all they wanted rugs so the children could sit on rugs during story time.  They also have a list of science books they wanted.  Most of the books we donated were gently used so they are wonderful for fiction but we would like to pump up their nonfiction collection as well.”

  At the event, Bloomfield Hills students of all ages helped to sort and package books.  Younger students also participated in making bookmarks.

    Andover was the school with the highest representation with about forty-five students.

   “There were so many books. It was amazing,” tells Senior Class President Ricki Pad who attended the event.  “I always think more people can come out to help because it was mostly student leadership representatives but there were some others and it’s always nice to see the non-student leadership people who come to help too.”

  “Andover brought in about twenty-two hundred [of the books] and six hundred and eight dollars,” adds Saltzman. “It is really important for high school students because it allows them the opportunity to see how you can make a difference not only in your own community but in the world. So often we are overwhelmed with what we read and hear in the news that is so negative.  It is really easy for a student to turn that around by doing good and I hope it provides people with ideas to go out on their own and personally see ways that they can make a difference.”