Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Book fair raises money for school

ONTONAGON - The Ontonagon Area School Book Fair Tuesday sold more than $4,000 in books which will result in 1,800 scholastic dollars for books in the school.

For more than 20 years, there has been a book fair where children, adults and organizations can choose the finest books for all school-aged children. For six of those years, it has been the "organizational baby" of Avelin Yost.

Yost transformed a room at the Ontonagon School into a children's bookstore with imaginative displays geared for various age groups.

She explained that a percentage of the book sale turns into scholastic dollars, which can be used by teachers for needed book items throughout the year.

One customer was the Ontonagon Rotary Club, which purchased $250 in books to be donated to the St. Nicholas Fund for distribution to underprivileged kids.

Yost thanked the volunteers and others who purchased books, adding that at a time when there has been shrinking numbers and tough economic times, the community has been "so generous."