Marshall Cohen knows the power of a book in the hands of a child.
A teacher gave him one about cave exploring in the sixth or seventh grade.
“I never took up spelunking, but I did take up reading,” he said. “I’ve been reading books ever since.”
Cohen and his wife, Barbara Footer, recently made a generous donation to the Press Herald Toy Fund accompanied by this note:
“Hope it helps. Very pleased to read that you include books for the children. That’s really important in our minds.”
It’s important to the Toy Fund, too.
Every child that the charity serves receives a new book along with several new toys. The hope is that the gifts bring light and joy to children in need, both during the holidays and long after they are over.
“I really applaud the Toy Fund for doing this,” said Cohen, who describes himself as “a big book guy.”
The couple moved from Pittsburgh back to Maine this year (Barbara is a Bath native). Several years ago, Cohen started an annual celebration of reading called the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books. The free festival connects readers of all ages with local and nationally-recognized authors and poets. And before the couple moved to Portland, they donated a collection of more than 3,500 books to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Now, they are hoping their support of the Toy Fund will help spread a love of books to Maine children, too.
“Anything you can do to get kids reading,” Cohen said, “it’s important.”
The Toy Fund uses the donations of newspaper readers like Cohen and Footer to buy books and toys for kids up to 16 years old in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Androscoggin and Knox counties.
The Portland Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal publish lists of the donations along with stories about the holiday gift drive from Thanksgiving through the month of December.
HOW TO HELP:
To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.
Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland ME 04106.
Names of donors are published in the Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.
TODAY’S DONATIONS:
- $52.92: Anonymous
- $31.88: Anonymous
- $105.52: Mary Semrow
- $52.92: Anonymous
- $263.34: Merry Christmas! — John & June McClean
- $52.92: We pray this will help some family bring joy to their child(ren). Merry Christmas! — Anonymous
- $105.52: Anonymous
- $105.52: Anonymous
- $105.52: Anonymous
- $105.52: Merry Christmas kids! In memory of my brother, Mark, who is dearly missed, especially at Christmas. — Mary & Mike Descoteaux
- $1,052.39: The Watson Family
- $105.52: Anonymous
- $105.52: Merry Christmas. — Sandee & Joe LaRose
- $42.40: Anonymous
- $52.92: For our grandchildren, Cleveland, Lucienne, Caroline and Paolo — Mary & Don St. Germain
- $100.00: In memory of Joan Kincaid — Erick Herlan, Chris and Liz
Year to date total: $43,707.10.
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