"They

were one of our first partners when opened nine years ago, and they still

stay so involved."

"I don't

think that we would call it as much a gift as an investment," said

Harkness. As a part of that investment and of Bon L's partnership, Harkness

has served along with other Bon L employees in mentoring and tutoring

roles in the school. He also serves on the school's new School Council,

as a business partner.

"Being

a business partner is an opportunity for us," said Harkness. "It's

tough for the educational community to do it alone - it takes a community."

Aside from

its commitment to the school system, Bon L's inspiration for the dictionary

project was found in a Wall Street Journal article featuring a similar

project in South Carolina.

Also inspired

Sunday school class at First United Methodist Church in Newnan.

Bach and a

group of fellow Sunday school class members purchased pocket dictionaries

and donated them personally to Ruth Hill School's third grade classes.

"I take

the Wall Street Journal, and I saw the first article about what a woman

had done in South Carolina," followed by three letters-to-the-editor

saying they had followed the same thing in their community.

"Our class

decided we needed a community project either within or outside the church.

So we decided on this project."

"We wanted

to donate the dictionaries before the end of the school year, so that

students would have them in the summer and carry them over into the fourth

grade," said Bach.

Back - who

is a former school librarian from California - knew that in many cases

the dictionaries could be a help to spur an interest in education in parents

as well as students, "so we agreed that was a double blessing."

Just as Bach's

class did last year, Bon L employee Mark Fields came by Ruth Hill last

week to donate dictionaries to third graders at the school.

"I think

it's been a wonderful experience for our students to have received that

kind of support from the church group and the Bon L company," said

Ruth Hill principal Nancy Royal. "The visits in the classroom were

great for the students also. And the dictionaries will certainly be put

to good use."

"We always

appreciate this kind of community support and involvement," said

Royal.