90-year-old donates books to area schools

CENTENNIAL -- If you talk to 90-year-old Harvey Ancel for more than a minute, it becomes evident what he and his wife of 61 years, Susan, are passionate about -- family, books and learning.

They moved to their Centennial home in 1960 and raised two sons. Even though their children and grandchildren are grown and living on the East Coast, Ancel has still found other children with whom to share his love of learning.

Because of a senior-volunteer program with Littleton Public Schools, Ancel has been influencing students for about 12 years through teaching and books.

For many years, he was a big presence in Brenda Wolf's second-grade classroom at Lenski Elementary School, 6350 S. Fairfax Way, Centennial.

"I would prepare lessons," Ancel said. "I would sit on the floor and talk to the students about anything from the solar system to how to be a friend in order to have a friend."

Lately though, age has caught up with him and sitting on the floor with a bunch of second-graders has become a little more tiring. Instead he has moved on to collecting as many books as he can and giving them away to as many children as he can.

"I just chanced on the book idea," he said. "I would go to Bemis Library and they gave me a wonderful deal where I could buy books from them at a discount."

According to Meredith Gipson, assistant to the director at the Bemis Public Library, Ancel approached the president of the Friends of the Littleton Library who agreed to let Ancel purchase the books at a discount from their ongoing used book sale.

"He comes in regularly and he's always at it. He still comes in even when he doesn't feel good. He always talks it up to the staff and tells everyone what he's doing."

Gipson said Ancel also sometimes receives thank-you notes from the children.

"He brings them in to share with us," she said.

Ancel gathers several grocery bags full of books then delivers them to Lenski and various elementary schools around town.

"I can't do heavy lifting anymore, so I drive the books to the school and then tell the librarian to come get them out of the car," Ancel said.

Ancel said he also has collected books from several other libraries including Sheridan and Commerce City in the past three years. When Hurricane Katrina hit, he shipped many books to New Orleans. He also sent books to a poor manufacturing town in the Midwest after a tornado.

"I just find these ideas in the newspaper," said Ancel. "I'll send it to the librarian or the state librarian with a note to tell them what I want them to do with the books."

Ancel estimates he's collected 8,000 to 10,000 books in the past three years, but claims he's never actually counted.

"Reading is so important. Many studies show young people who can read do better and they understand the culture in which they live in a little better," he said.

Ancel said there is only one type of book he doesn't like to collect for children.

"I don't like the ghost stories. Nighttime is for sleeping and rest," he said. "There's no such thing as the bogeyman and it's not good to scare kids."

Wolf, the second-grade teacher, also is Ancel's neighbor and said she has seen firsthand the effect he has on the people around him.

"He'll give books to anyone he sees," Wolf said. "He has a genuine love of people and love of books. He knows how to stretch the kids' imagination and truly cares about them."

Ancel is looking to collect more books. People who would like to help can call him at 303-798-2815.

To read YourHub.com Community Journalist Kevin Hamm's story about the senior volunteer program in Littleton Public Schools, click here.