GO BUY THE BOOK

A little girl wants to make a big difference

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

NEWTON FALLS

Last month, Melody Jacques casually entered the Newton Falls Public Library and handed an employee an envelope containing $100, but it had nothing to do with paying a hefty overdue fine.

Instead, the money was a gift the 6-year-old girl had saved and presented to the small library on Feb. 13.

“I thought that if I raise $100, they can pay for stuff,” Melody said recently from her Malibu Drive home. “That’s what got me inspired to do it.”

Melody raised $50 of the total donation over several months; the rest was matched by the family’s pediatrician, Dr. Giorgio Vescera of Warren.

Melody, a Newton Falls Elementary School first-grader, began her fund-raising project last summer. Her main goal was to help the library buy children’s and other books, said her parents, Les and Heidi Jacques.

She saved what she earned by making her bed, feeding the family dog, taking out the trash and performing other common chores, Les recalled.

“It was always Melody’s idea. She was dedicated and we never influenced her,” explained Les, a shift manager at Severstal Warren, a steel-producing facility.

“She just went in, walked up to the desk with her little envelope and said, ‘I’d like to donate this to the library.’”

Melody received one colored stone, each of which was worth 10 cents, for each of many household tasks completed. At the end of each week, they were counted and exchanged for money, her father said, adding that she sometimes earned between $3 and $4 a week.

The idea to use the stones came from a family friend, Heidi said.

Melody’s act continues to touch and inspire patrons, many of whom have probably seen her name in a large book the library keeps in a glass case, Heidi said. In addition, many in the community were moved by the first-grader’s idea and resolve, her mother continued.

That includes library personnel, who were amazed and uplifted by Melody’s fund-raising efforts, noted Kerry Reed, director.

“We were absolutely and pleasantly surprised by the donation,” Reed said. “It’s something we rarely ever see, and it put a huge smile on everyone’s face.”

The library is going through tough times brought on largely by reduced funding from the state as well as local property taxes, Reed said, adding that the facility is operating on 1997 funding levels.

In accordance to Melody’s wishes, the donation will go toward children’s books, she noted.

Melody’s generosity also caught the attention of state Sen. Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, who presented her with a citation. Melody also is to be the guest of honor at a garden party Tuesday, which is part of a membership drive put on by the Friends of the Newton Falls Public Library.

Perhaps not surprisingly, reading is a favorite subject for Melody and her 9-year-old sister, Katelyn, a fourth-grader at Newton Falls Middle School. Heidi reads to her younger daughter nearly every night, she said.

“I think Katelyn has set a good example as far as reading,” Heidi added.

Katelyn has already read the first three books in the Harry Potter series, with plans to soon delve into the latest one, she said.

Besides discussing the importance of supporting a local library and others with a need, Melody expressed what she wants to see from children and adults alike.

“I’d like to see more people read and have fun; it’s awesome for them to do that,” Melody said. “I want people to read and not watch [so much] TV.”

It didn’t take long for Melody’s generous act to become contagious.

On March 18, a local patron who had heard about the girl’s contribution but wished to be anonymous handed a library employee a $100 bill for the purchase of books for adults, noted Carol Baker, an adult- services librarian.

The woman and her husband reasoned that if a 6-year-old girl could unselfishly donate $100, then they could follow suit, Baker explained.

“These were very thoughtful gifts on the part of all the people,” she said. “[Melody’s] gift bore unexpected fruit.”