- Get
Boxes . Everything must be boxed, except strollers and baby
furniture. The truckers are kind enough to do this and it's one of
their requirements. The best boxes are copier paper boxes. The boxes
that are all folded up
and require no tape to put them together are great for storing papers,
but
NOT good for transporting books. Those kinds of boxes crush when
stacked
more than two high. This makes it very difficult for the relief workers
on
the other end to unload and distribute. It increases the time it takes
to
get books in the hands of the evacuees
- Pack Boxes . This is the fun part. I've
participated in about 10 of these
packing teams, and it's the most fun I've had in a long time! Bring
markers
and packing tape. A school system will probably use about 10 rolls of
tape.
- Tape Boxes w/plastic packing tape: under and
over a couple of times and
then across, so that the weight is distributed in several planes. Ha.
planes. When's the last time you used the word "planes" in casual
conversation! See, we're having fun already!
- Label Boxes: With a LARGE Sharpie or other large
indelible marker, write:
"SCHOOL" in large black letters on the top and at
least one side. Then in
smaller letters, write the topic for the books. Topics might be: "ELEM
READING, Grade 1-3" or "ELEM MATH, Grade 4-6". High School topics
should be
"topical" rather than grade levels..."Algebra 2" or "Life Science" or
"Physics". Please stay way from putting Grade levels on the High School
level books. Our standards may be VERY different from these other
schools,
and we don't want to insult anyone unintentionally. This label system
helps relief workers put the boxes in the right place in the warehouse.
When they are unloading, things go very fast and we want to make it
easy
for them so that they can get back to treating the evacuees