Boy Scouts promote literacy among prisoners with book collection – The Vacaville Reporter

A Vacaville Boy Scout is advocating for Contra Costa prisoners by leading a community reading drive to provide inmates with much-needed reading materials.

“I want to give back to a community that is often overlooked. That’s what inspired me to start this book drive,” said organizer Aiden Rothstein, a 17-year-old lifetime scout with Troop 8317 in Suisun City. “I hope the book an inmate receives through the drive will be uplifting, enlightening and positively impactful.”

Rothstein said this campaign was an essential part of the final steps needed to achieve his Eagle rank with the Boys Scouts of America, so with the help of his mother, he got to work and spread the word on social media.

Paperback donations can be dropped off at three Journey Coffee locations in Vacaville and Fairfield through August 1: Journey Downtown at 308 Main St., Alamo Cafe at 896 Alamo Drive, Suite B, and Chadbourne Cafe at 370 Chadbourne Rd. in Fairfield.

Rothstein said he hopes to collect books from a variety of genres and layouts, including nonfiction, foreign language books, large print books, textbooks, autobiographies and titles that have made the bestseller list.

“On August 3, members of my troop, my crew, my sister’s troop and friends will sort the books by genre and bring them to the Contra Costa County Jail Library,” Rothstein said.

Rothstein said he is excited to have a positive impact on and educate inmates who may not have had access to literature otherwise, but he is also looking forward to achieving Eagle rank, a goal he has had since joining the Boy Scouts as a first-grader 10 years ago.

“I would never have gotten to where I am today without the encouragement and guidance of my mother and grandparents,” Rothstein said. “They have been and will continue to be my biggest supporters. They have paid for all of my Scouting activities, driven me to camp, and have been there since my first day as a Cub Scout to cheer me on to achieve Eagle rank.”

Rothstein said he enjoyed the outdoor aspects of Scouting, including hiking and exploring nature, but his favorite part was helping others in a variety of ways. That included participating in the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), where he had the opportunity to teach leadership skills to Scout youth and lead one such effort.

“I truly believe that Scouting makes me a better person, and I love it,” Rothstein said.

For more information or to donate books directly to Rothstein, email [email protected].