Warning: This is not a fitness/health blog.

I am in a class required for teachers to achieve tenure. The two instructors were telling us about the distribution center in our district. I've heard of this place before, but I had no idea it is near my house! I knew they had auctions once in a while, but didn't think they would have anything in good shape.

HOWEVER, I'm all for recycling and saving $$, so I checked it out on my way home. I thought it was kind of fun! There were student desks, teacher desks, chairs, file cabinets, cubbies, P.E. equipment, old computer monitors, a drafting table, many different sizes and shapes of tables, bookshelves, etc...

Immediately, I found 7 chairs that are a definite improvement over the ones in my room. I was happy and asked if they had any books, but all they had were old, high school text books. I stood contemplating a file cabinet, when I hear someone say, "Is that lady still here who wanted books?"

I sprung over there like a jackrabbit! What to my glossy eyes did appear? A freaking HUGE pile of boxes full of books! I was told that an elementary school sent them there to be recycled.

"Wow, these are in excellent condition." I said, as I rummaged through a box. I didn't want to be greedy, so I took about 40 books. They were closing anyway. After asking if I could come back the next day, after class; she said they would be gone by then. I was a little surprised and inquired as to why they would be gone so quickly. They were to be SHREDDED! OK; this pissed me off! SHREDDED? why? They are in better condition than many of the books in my own school's media center.

After hearing that, I went back this AM, before class, to get about 120 more books. My 200 or so books did not even make a dent in the pile! On the way to class I felt so sad. Many of the kids in my school do not have books in their homes. I had been printing and sending paper books home with them, but even that gets expensive, since they do not last long. THIS year, I will be able to send REAL books home with them at their level. Hopefully, most will be returned; but if not, they were free anyway.

When I got to class, I thanked the instructor for telling us about it and told her my story. She was appalled and dismissed the class for 1 hour 1/2 to go get those books. All of us new teachers went (yes, even me again to help a friend get hers)!

Not one book was shredded! Went to my classroom and shelved the books that I stayed up late to level. I have many more to level, but it is a beautiful sight and I can't wait to share them with my kids!