The Shelbyville Lion's Club facilitated the purchase of the Inchy Bookworm Vending Machine, and Texas Farm Bureau Insurance in Center purchased the shelves for the books. Pictured are (from left): are David Hailey, Texas Farm Bureau Insurance in Center; Shirel Sanders and Renea Sanders with Shelbyville Lion's Club.
May 14, 2024 - A ribbon cutting event was held at the Shelbyville Elementary School library on Monday, May 13, 2024, in celebration of the arrival of Inchy’s Bookworm Vending Machine.
Patty Bays, Elementary School Principal, spoke about this exciting new addition to the library which has received great support from the community.
“Mrs. [Alease] Copelin also did some extra footwork by going to our local Lion’s Club, who we greatly appreciate, and they donated the machine,” said Bays.
When the school started looking at shelves, the standard shelves for the machine are all chapter books, and with grade appropriateness in mind Bays said they wanted to offer some bigger books for younger grade levels and then some medium books for those that are in the three and four age group, and then chapter books which target older students in fifth grade.
“So our local [Texas] Farm Bureau [Insurance] in Center David Hailey is here to represent them. They donated as well for the shelves. You know this day and time everything costs something,” said Bays.
Bays said how grateful the school is to be able to provide the machine for the students.
“We're very grateful, to have this opportunity of a machine like this to offer our students,” said Bays.
Shelbyville ISD staff pictured are (from left): Dr. Ray West, Superintendent; Jill Baty, Assistant Superintendent; Cathy Taylor; Shelley Locke; and Patty Bays, Elementary School Principal.
A token is used to retrieve books from the machine and a large number of tokens were purchased for use. Bays described the use of tokens for the machine as incentives to students with a focus on a student’s positive behavior, acts of kindness, and doing things for others.
“We were given, in the package, 600 tokens and so Mrs. Cathy [Taylor] and Mrs. Shelley [Locke] bagged those up and right now we're just starting with our grade level teachers K through five. We also have special programs we want to possibly reach out to next year and include those in giving out tokens, and then our AR program,” said Bays.
Students have even demonstrated their excitement in anticipation for the book vending machine, shared Bays.
“Last week we had somebody come in and put in a quarter. They just couldn’t wait to get in that machine,” said Bays.
According to Bays, Alease Copelin was instrumental in making the connections with the school to allow the machine and organizations to purchase the machine. A large “thank you” card which had been signed by all of the students was presented to Copelin in recognition of her efforts.
“When you do something like this, you think, OK, people in our communities are giving. I mean, we have the most giving community. So when I started visiting with different groups, and every one that saw it said, ‘Oh, this is a great idea.’ I said, 'Well, I'm gonna meet with some other groups.'"
Copelin described meeting with the Shelbyville Lion’s Club members, and they were more than willing to support the venture.
"Met with a Shelbyville group, and they meet at night, before I could get home, I had a phone call and she said, ‘We will help, we decided we will help,’ and I was like, ‘Okay, well, how much?’ She went, ‘Oh, all of it.’ I almost ran off the road. I just hung up and honestly went ‘thank you Lord.’”
Copelin was thankful for a community that loves kids and wants them to read.
Camille Copelin, a fifth grade student at the school and granddaughter to Copelin, had the honor of cutting the ribbon and putting the first token into the Inchy’s Bookworm book vending machine.
Dr. Ray West, Shelbyville ISD Superintendent, reiterated appreciation to the community both within the Shelbyville area, and other parts of Shelby County.
“We get a lot of compliments about our school. And I always tell people the buildings are nice, but really it's the people and the kids and their support,” said Dr. West. “I really pretty much wake up every day blessed that I moved here 27 years ago and get to be a part of this.”
Alease Copelin received a thank you card from SW Carter Elementary students.
Dr. West further commended Copelin for her extensive contribution to students in the Center area and to benefit Shelbyville with her expertise.
“The Lions Club, pretty unsung heroes, people don't talk about them much, but I know you guys do a lot,” said Dr. West.
Dr. West continued to express gratitude to the Shelbyville Lion’s Club, “People will tell you, I'm not real good at saying thank you. I kind of have to deal with the negative side of things instead of the positive. But we really do thank you.”
Pictured are (from left): Camille Copelin, Stephanie Watson, and Carson Copelin.
