Introduction
What is the PULL Campaign?
PULL stands for Pop-Up Lending Library!
AHHAH conceived and spearheaded a grassroots campaign to put 100 lending libraries, called PULL Stations, throughout the Coatesville municipality in locations where children gather both indoors and outdoors. AHHAH coordinated community workshops to build, design, paint and install the PULL Stations throughout Coatesville.
AHHAH conceived and spearheaded a grassroots campaign to put 100 lending libraries, called PULL Stations, throughout the Coatesville municipality in locations where children gather both indoors and outdoors. AHHAH coordinated community workshops to build, design, paint and install the PULL Stations throughout Coatesville.
Where do PULL Stations Operate?
Today our PULL Station initiative continues to grow as we support the Coatesville, Kennett Square, and Oxford areas and is always looking to expand throughout Chester County. This program is made possible by our Community Partners with the Coatesville, Kennett Square, and Oxford Public Libraries, as well as our generous donors and volunteers.
In the first year alone, AHHAH collected over 60,000 books, installed 87 PULL Stations across the Coatesville & Kennett Square area, and engaged over 100 volunteers in the installation and upkeep of our PULL Stations.
"The PULL project in Kennett Square has been a practical and magical success from its inception to its final realization. People readily joined the effort with gratitude and joy. Within hours of each box being placed and filled kids ran up and gleefully took a book and smiling at their treasure. We could say with pride: Yes! you can have that book! It’s yours! And our community said YES a common purpose - to share the wonder and excitement of a simple book." - Laura Florence from her letter to ERCC about collaborating with AHHAH
In the first year alone, AHHAH collected over 60,000 books, installed 87 PULL Stations across the Coatesville & Kennett Square area, and engaged over 100 volunteers in the installation and upkeep of our PULL Stations.
"The PULL project in Kennett Square has been a practical and magical success from its inception to its final realization. People readily joined the effort with gratitude and joy. Within hours of each box being placed and filled kids ran up and gleefully took a book and smiling at their treasure. We could say with pride: Yes! you can have that book! It’s yours! And our community said YES a common purpose - to share the wonder and excitement of a simple book." - Laura Florence from her letter to ERCC about collaborating with AHHAH
Why the Chester County Community needs PULL
A child's ability to read impacts their ability to succeed. Reading below grade level lowers a child’s chances of completing their education and succeeding, and it increases their chances of dropping out of school and being incarcerated.
Over 1/3 of our children throughout the Chester County area are reading and writing below grade level.
Many children residing in the Chester County area come from economically disadvantaged families. Many of our children are not being exposed to enough words and reading before age 5, when the brain is most malleable. By the time they enter school, they already have an academic disadvantage. Our goal is to help expose more children to words by age 5.
We know that everyone, on every level, has the capacity to support early childhood literacy. No matter who you are, no matter what your story in life is, we know that picking up a book can change it.
Over 1/3 of our children throughout the Chester County area are reading and writing below grade level.
Many children residing in the Chester County area come from economically disadvantaged families. Many of our children are not being exposed to enough words and reading before age 5, when the brain is most malleable. By the time they enter school, they already have an academic disadvantage. Our goal is to help expose more children to words by age 5.
We know that everyone, on every level, has the capacity to support early childhood literacy. No matter who you are, no matter what your story in life is, we know that picking up a book can change it.
Find a PULL Station Near You
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Kennett Square Locations
Avondale/Unionville Locations
Downingtown/Thorndale Locations
Oxford Locations
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Coatesville Locations
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PULL Station Maps
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KENNETT SQUARE STORY MAP
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Created by Peter Doehring of Kennett Outdoors, this interactive ARCGIS map features the story of PULL steward Margot Doehring and the PULL stations she maintains in Kennett Square. Learn more about the important role of community members like Margot in the PULL campaign, and find a station near you!
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To learn more about the impact of PULL stewards like Margot and others working with the Kennett Ability Network (KAN), visit the KAN blog at the link below!
Gallery
Check Out Some of the Amazing Artwork and Volunteers for These PULL Stations!
LELE Galer PULL Station
This beautiful PULL station was created by local artist Lele Galer.
Kennett Square PULL Stations
Unionville High School students have been hard at work! Check out some of the amazing PULL stations created by our local high school students.
History
Kennett Square PULL Campaign Development
Expansion of PULL to Kennett Square
Spring 2017: Jessica Hall, an 8th grader at the time at Charles F. Patton Middle School in Unionville, saw information about AHHAH and the PULL campaign in Coatesville. Jessica met with Jan Michener, AHHAH's Founder and Executive Director, and asked if she could paint 10 indoor PULL Stations for Kennett Square locations for a Silver Awards project for Girl Scouts. Jessica not only painted 10 PULL Stations, she also created bilingual posters and bookmarks and gathered 1000 books for the PULL Stations.
Fall 2017: With the help of Joan Holiday of Kennett Square Kindergarten Readiness Project, 10 locations were identified in Kennett and the boxes and books were delivered. They are: Tick Tock Learning Center, Kennett Food Cupboard, La Communidad Hispania, Kennett Brewing Company, Kennett Square Liberty Laundromat, Kennett Laundromat, Kennett Square Farmer's Market, LaPena Mexicana Restaurant, Ranchero El Mexican Restaurant, Liberty Place, Hong Kong Buffet and LaMichoacana Ice Cream.
Spring 2018: Upland Country Day School built an outdoor PULL Station for the Kennett Y and installed the station.
Fall 2017: With the help of Joan Holiday of Kennett Square Kindergarten Readiness Project, 10 locations were identified in Kennett and the boxes and books were delivered. They are: Tick Tock Learning Center, Kennett Food Cupboard, La Communidad Hispania, Kennett Brewing Company, Kennett Square Liberty Laundromat, Kennett Laundromat, Kennett Square Farmer's Market, LaPena Mexicana Restaurant, Ranchero El Mexican Restaurant, Liberty Place, Hong Kong Buffet and LaMichoacana Ice Cream.
Spring 2018: Upland Country Day School built an outdoor PULL Station for the Kennett Y and installed the station.
August 2018: AHHAH received a grant from the Longwood Rotary to buy materials for 10 more outdoor PULL Stations.
Fall 2018: AHHAH partnered with the Kennett Library on the expansion of the PULL campaign to bring awareness of the campaign, get book donations, identify locations for the outdoor PULL Stations. The Kennett Library is a Donation station for books.
AHHAH presented to the Kennett Arts and Cultural Committee to find artists who want to help design and paint the outdoor PULL Stations.
Ben Friedman, a freshman at Unionville High School is working with Upland Country Day School and other Boy Scouts to earn his Eagle status by building 4 PULL Stations for the Kennett Square area.
Octorara High School is building 3 PULL Stations for Kennett Square and 1 for Parkesburg Point
Crosslands Senior Community resident, Julie Noolan, made a donation to AHHAH and bought the materials for 3 PULL Stations to be built by Crosslands that were then donated to the Kennett Square community.
Jan spoke at Kendal Senior Community the beginning of October and shared the PULL Campaign. Three residents made generous donations so we can expand this campaign even further. Jim Hazard, the head of the Kendal wood working department has built a PULL Station out of Cypress which is the wood used in the mushroom farms for its durability and then were painted by well known artists. Robert Jackson painted the one that was installed in the Genesis Walkway, Roberta Little painted the one installed on the site of the future new Kennett Library on State Street, Carol Lesher painted the one installed by the sidewalk at Friends Home in Kennett and LeeLee Galer is doing a sculpture installation on the one that will be installed at The Garage in Kennett. Youth groups were artists of several of the boxes. After the Bell, the after school program at Kennett Middle School created a mosaic design for the box installed at Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center, The Garage is doing a collage design for the box that will be installed at the Kennett Head Start Center. Youth at After-the Bell at Kennett Middle School will be painting one being planted at South and Union near the Kennett High School. Seniors at the Kennett Area Senior Center will be painting one that will be planted at Walnut and Birch which is down the street from the Senior Center. This has been an intergenerational and multi-school collaboration using art and literacy to build a caring and creative community that supports all children.
Spring 2021: AHHAH partnered with the Oxford Public Library to expand the PULL campaign to the Oxford communities. With support from the Oxford Rotary Club, we were able to install five PULL Stations throughout Oxford. Funding for two of the stations was provided by the Rotary Club and are being made by Eagle Scout, Ryan Waite for his Eagle Scout service project. You can read more about Ryan, in an article written by the Chester County Press, here. Two PULL Stations are being funded by a group of great women at Ware Presbyterian Village.
Fall 2018: AHHAH partnered with the Kennett Library on the expansion of the PULL campaign to bring awareness of the campaign, get book donations, identify locations for the outdoor PULL Stations. The Kennett Library is a Donation station for books.
AHHAH presented to the Kennett Arts and Cultural Committee to find artists who want to help design and paint the outdoor PULL Stations.
Ben Friedman, a freshman at Unionville High School is working with Upland Country Day School and other Boy Scouts to earn his Eagle status by building 4 PULL Stations for the Kennett Square area.
Octorara High School is building 3 PULL Stations for Kennett Square and 1 for Parkesburg Point
Crosslands Senior Community resident, Julie Noolan, made a donation to AHHAH and bought the materials for 3 PULL Stations to be built by Crosslands that were then donated to the Kennett Square community.
Jan spoke at Kendal Senior Community the beginning of October and shared the PULL Campaign. Three residents made generous donations so we can expand this campaign even further. Jim Hazard, the head of the Kendal wood working department has built a PULL Station out of Cypress which is the wood used in the mushroom farms for its durability and then were painted by well known artists. Robert Jackson painted the one that was installed in the Genesis Walkway, Roberta Little painted the one installed on the site of the future new Kennett Library on State Street, Carol Lesher painted the one installed by the sidewalk at Friends Home in Kennett and LeeLee Galer is doing a sculpture installation on the one that will be installed at The Garage in Kennett. Youth groups were artists of several of the boxes. After the Bell, the after school program at Kennett Middle School created a mosaic design for the box installed at Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center, The Garage is doing a collage design for the box that will be installed at the Kennett Head Start Center. Youth at After-the Bell at Kennett Middle School will be painting one being planted at South and Union near the Kennett High School. Seniors at the Kennett Area Senior Center will be painting one that will be planted at Walnut and Birch which is down the street from the Senior Center. This has been an intergenerational and multi-school collaboration using art and literacy to build a caring and creative community that supports all children.
Spring 2021: AHHAH partnered with the Oxford Public Library to expand the PULL campaign to the Oxford communities. With support from the Oxford Rotary Club, we were able to install five PULL Stations throughout Oxford. Funding for two of the stations was provided by the Rotary Club and are being made by Eagle Scout, Ryan Waite for his Eagle Scout service project. You can read more about Ryan, in an article written by the Chester County Press, here. Two PULL Stations are being funded by a group of great women at Ware Presbyterian Village.