9-year-old donor recognized at Imagination Library family literacy night

YOUNGSTOWN

Nine-year-old Lucia Schaab likes books.

She asked her parents to buy them for her. She asked Santa – using his preferred means of communication, the letter – to bring her books for Christmas. And she plans to continue asking for books in the future.

She doesn’t ask for herself. She has plenty of books, and she loves reading them. Instead, Lucia collects books to share her love of reading with children who may not have access to books of their own.

Over two years, Lucia collected 53 books and, after filling a box to its brim with books, was ready to donate them. Her mother, Phyllis Schaab, of Canfield, is a young women’s mentor for the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley and a reading tutor at Taft Elementary School.

She suggested the books would be well used at the school, and Lucia agreed.

With the support of her mother, father David and her 13-year-old brother Ty, she brought her box to Taft on Thursday evening and parted ways with the 53 books.

Lucia was recognized for her giving spirit during the Imagination Library family literacy night today at the South Side school.

Read more about the event in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.