Clark Demeester Recognized by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Ontario MPP Brian Riddell (left) presents Clark Demeester (right) with certificates recognizing his efforts to collect and donate books to The Children’s Book Bank
When seven-year-old Clark Demeester learned that some children his age don’t have their own books, he took action! Clark worked hard for months, collecting gently used books to donate to the Book Bank. He organized a book drive with his Beaver Scouts colony and asked friends to bring book donations to his birthday party. Clark’s hard work paid off! He recently made an incredible donation of 577 books and earned the North Star Award—Scouts Canada’s highest achievement!
Last week, Clark’s contribution to the Book Bank was formally recognized by MPP Brian Riddell at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (see a video of Riddell’s statement, below):
“Good morning, Speaker. Today is a very special day. I get the honour of speaking about an incredible young man from my riding. Clark Demeester is in the gallery with his parents, Scott and Samantha, sisters Hannah and Charlotte and his grandparents, Michael and Jayne.
Clark did something truly inspiring: He collected 500 books for the Children’s Book Bank, and he’s only seven years old. Karly-Lynne from the Book Bank is also here in the gallery to extend thanks to Clark. He received the North Star Award from his Scout troop in North Dumfries, which is the highest honour a Scout can receive.
I could not help but continue this wave of positivity by recognizing him in this House today. We are facing very difficult times, but Clark is a beacon of hope in a world that continuously tests our willingness and ability to help others. I encourage everyone to share this story in hopes that we can inspire others to go forward. I will be presenting Clark with a certificate and a medal on the grand staircase after question period, and I welcome all members of the Legislature to stop by and say hello to this incredible young man.
The future of our province is looking very bright in the hands of people like Clark.”
Clark was presented with certificates from the Book Bank, Riddell’s office, and the Premier of Ontario. Clark, in turn, gifted MPP Riddell with a Geronimo Stilton book, continuing to share his love of reading with others!
When Clark visited The Children’s Book Bank to drop off his books, he saw the kids coming in, picking out books, and taking them home. He was able to see the impact his hard work would have and said, “577 more kids are going to have books now." When asked if he's finished collecting books for kids, he said no!
The generosity of donors like Clark makes it possible for us to support thousands of readers across the city each month! Community book donations provide an exciting variety of books that keep children coming back to the Book Bank again and again.
If your child would like to follow in Clark’s footsteps, we’ve created a School Book Drive Kit that lays out all the steps to organize their very own book drive: childrensbookbank.com/schoolbookdrive
