By Luke Jackson, seventh grader at Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill and Book Harvest volunteer
Pictured: Luke with his sister Anastasia and his mother Daniele Berman, Book Harvest’s operations manager
When I look forward to the Dream Big Book Drive on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I simultaneously look back to last year’s event. I was at the event last year, taking pictures, counting and sorting books, and having fun with Maky the lemur and Wool. E. Bull. It was a great time for everyone who came out, and it spread Book Harvest’s message all over the community. There were food trucks, the Scrap Exchange had a table of craft materials laid out, and the Duke Lemur Center had representatives there. I volunteered for about three hours and had the time of my life. In fact, I had a cool experience before I even started my shift.
I started working at about lunch time, and, as I waited in line for a food truck, a man who I recognized slid into line behind me. I tried to think of who he was all the way through the line, but it wasn’t until I heard him order that I knew who he was. The food truck worker said in a voice that sounded slightly surprised, “Mayor Bell?” I instantly kicked myself for not thinking of who he was. Then I listened to his order and heard that he got the same thing as me. I was in heaven! I had ordered the same food from the same food truck at the same time as the mayor! The food was delicious, but I floated through my first shift thinking of the story to tell my grandkids.
That was one of many great experiences at the Dream Big Book Drive, and I hope to have more this year.