Elks donate dictionaries

The Minden-Douglas Elks Lodge made rounds at two elementary schools Valley on Thursday, supplying third-graders with their own personal dictionaries.

David Trueblood, Exalted Ruler of local Elks Lodge No. 2670, said the idea was picked up from an Elks chapter in the eastern U.S.

"They're beginning now," Trueblood said, referring to third-grade students. "The books are a tool that certainly will be to their benefit for the next few years until they go on to higher education."

At Scarselli, students of Debbie McNeil's class showed excitement when Trueblood and fellow Elks member George Johnson entered the classroom with a loaded cart and began handing out brand new dictionaries.

Eight-year-old Bryce Cutter asked if the dictionaries were made specifically for kids.

"I wish I had my parents' words," Cutter said.

"You'll find all the words you need," reassured Trueblood.

When asked what his favorite word was, 8-year-old Spencer Trivitt said, "encyclopedia."

Trivitt said his older brother taught him the word, becoming the first long word he could spell out by memory.

McNeil asked her class what their favorite word was, and the class shouted out in unison, "optimistic."

Besides Scarselli, Elks visited Meneley and plans to visit all elementary schools in Douglas County by the end of the month, making sure all 542 dictionaries they purchased for the event find a new home.

-- Scott Neuffer can be reached at sneuffer@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 217.