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The north Georgia mountains are beautiful, and I love going there. From Atlanta, there is a wonderful highway that makes the trip quick and easy. However, a turn to the right or left off that ribbon of asphalt quickly takes you on a back-road adventure! Through The Encouragement Project, I was recently invited by the Craddock Center to be a part of a book give-away to children in a Head Start pre-school there in the mountains. The Craddock Center provides new and like new books for the children as gifts during the school year, and a traveling lending library in the summer goes to the local communities in several north Georgia counties. So as not to be late, I left home very early that morning, which turned out to be a good thing! After driving back and forth, and unknowingly passing the turn off to the school three or four times, I finally stopped at the local Post Office for directions. The unmarked road I was looking for led back into the hills, and the center stripe soon disappeared. Thinking I was lost, I had thoughts of turning back when the tiny school finally came into view. The Story Express, a van equipped with shelves for books and stairs that fold out for access, was quickly turned into a gift book center. Soon, six classes of eager, precious four and five year olds took turns climbing the stairs and carefully selecting books to keep as their very own. What a thrill to see the joy in their faces as they sat down on the rock wall by the van to look at their books and share them with their friends! Tiny school, marvelous vista, wonderful, polite and grateful children—the pictures tell the best story.
 We are excited to have Reba Shackelford as a guest writer for The Story Board this month! Reba is a retired school teacher and administrator, and is currently on the board of The Encouragement Project. She has an active piano studio, and serves as pianist and choir director in her church. Reba is looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild in July!
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