What a fantastic beginning! Although it seemed so dreadful trudging in to a conference room at 8:00 a.m. on Thurs Feb 3 for a plenary, that dread soon dissipated. Within minutes, Craig Kielburger, founder of Free the Children had a room of sluggish librarians laughing, singing, pumping their arms and crying. Now 21, Craig and his brother founded this youth initiative when he was 12. Yes, 12. He’s been on Oprah 5 times and his latest book, Me to We, is a best seller. Yes, a 12 year-old kid in Thornhill, Ontario, read about kids forced into slavery in 3rd world countries, and decided to do something about it. He decided to stop it.

Free the Children is about youth helping youth. This influential international children’s organization that has involved over 1 million children and youth in its projects. Youth members of FTC have raised funds for the construction of more than 400 primary schools in the rural areas of developing nations, providing education every day to over 35,000 children. They have distributed more than 200,000 school and health kits in 38 countries and in excess of 8 million US dollars worth of medical supplies to needy families in 13 countries. FTC currently supports portable water projects, health clinics, alternative income cooperatives and primary schools in 21 developing nations.”

Too often our profession sees a problem and says “we can’t do anything about it — it’s beyond our control — there’s too many issues.’ No more! If a 12 year old can initiate and grow an organization that builds 400 schools in developing countries, then we can certainly solve — or dissolve — whatever problems are confronting us. We can do something about “it” — whatever “it” may be.

Congrats to OLA for bringing in this incredible individual, who got his start by helping to save the tiny Gallanough Library in Thornhill!

Rebecca Jones