BOOK DRIVE FOR NEEDY KIDS A GREAT TALE.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

There's a heck of a story behind the 1,562 books packed in boxes in the back of Robin Keefe's sport utility vehicle that was headed south on the 101 Freeway on Wednesday morning.

A story that goes back to when the 16-year-old teen-age boy sitting next to Robin in the front seat - her son, Brandon - was only 8 years old.

The kid had the sniffles one morning so his mother decided to keep him home from school, but she didn't have anyone to stay with him.

Robin couldn't stay home herself because she had a board of directors meeting at Hollygrove Children's Home in Hollywood, where she was CEO and president. The home is a residential treatment center for abused and neglected children.

``I didn't want to leave Brandon alone, so the only thing to do was take him to work with me that day,'' Robin said.

It was a decision that would change their lives - and the lives of thousands of schoolchildren in this city who consider a book a luxury, not a necessity.

Brandon sat in the corner of the board room that day, racking up points on his handheld video game - half listening to the adults in the room talk about how to build a library for the more than 60 children who lived at the 100-year-old group home.

The obstacles were many, the adults were saying. Books were expensive, and the home's budget was tight and couldn't be stretched any further.

The adults left the meeting that day with no clear idea of what to do next. The 8-year-old kid with the sniffles left the room filled with ideas.

He and his classmates had plenty of books they had already read. Why not share them?

The next day in his third-grade class at Willow Elementary School in Agoura Hills, Brandon asked his teacher whether he could make an announcement.

``My mom's orphanage needs books,'' he said.

Pretty soon, everyone in school was bringing in books they had already read so Brandon's mom could give them to the kids at her orphanage.

Brandon never said a thing about it to his mom. On the last day of school before winter vacation, he stood on the sidewalk in front of Willow waiting for his mom to pick him up.

``I drove up the driveway and there was my son - grinning from ear to ear - surrounded by dozens of boxes of books,'' Robin recalled.

``He said, 'Merry Christmas, Mom.' That was one of the best days of my life.''

The kid with the sniffles had collected 847 new and slightly used books for the new library in his mom's orphanage.

And that's how BookEnds - a nonprofit, West Hills organization that brings together kids who have books with kids who don't - was founded by Robin eight years ago.

Since then, 19,000 student volunteers have donated more than 100,000 books to start 40 libraries in schools and youth organizations for more than 50,000 Los Angeles area schoolchildren and their families.

``It's an outstanding program that has done so much to enrich the reading skills and love of books for the children in our school,'' Maria Villasenor, principal of Winnetka Avenue Elementary School, said Wednesday as she waited for the 1,562 books in the back of Robin Keefe's car.

``The more books kids have, the more they want to read,'' she said. And that's the idea.

The books going to the kids at Winnetka Avenue were donated by the students at Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills.

``Our whole student body has been behind this program because it encourages our kids to share the books and good feelings they've gotten from these stories with kids at other schools who otherwise wouldn't have that opportunity,'' said Karen Hansen, principal at Sumac.

Brandon's now a junior at Chaminade High School, helping his mom with deliveries this week during his spring break.

Not in his wildest imagination, the kid says, did he ever think this idea he had back in third grade would lead to such a groundswell of enthusiasm and support from the community.

In addition to helping with deliveries, he goes to schools to show kids a video on BookEnds, and help them start book drives.

``I just wanted to help my mom out,'' he said Wednesday. ``I never thought it would grow this big.''

His mom did, though. Her son had the idea, she had the vision to start BookEnds.

``I think a lot of kids want to make a difference, but feel they can't,'' Robin said. ``They see pictures on TV of starving children in Africa, for example, but what can they do to help?

``This is something they can do, a problem they can solve - helping literacy, and getting books in the hands of kids who otherwise wouldn't have them,'' she said.

``Our whole goal is to engage kids - all kids.''

If any schools or youth groups are looking for a community project to get involved in, give Robin or Brandon a call at BookEnds - [phone].

There's plenty of room in the back of that SUV for more books.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Brandon Keefe, 16, and his mom, Robin, at rear, show books to Winnetka Avenue School fifth-graders Elizabeth Valdez, left, Jessica Uvalle, Mark Soto and Mayra Perez.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer