Purdue University's Mortar Board is sponsoring a carnival March 8 at Tarkington Hall at Purdue University to kick-off a competition to collect books and raise donations to benefit foster children through the "Books for Youth" initiative. The carnival, which is for foster children and their foster families, will include games and prizes for foster youth from Carroll, Benton, Clinton, Fountain, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties. The carnival's theme is a focus on literacy for all ages.

The book drive goal is to collect 12,000 books from March 9 to April 15 to be donated to foster children. The Comet office in Delphi, located at 114 E. Franklin St., is a collection center for those interested in donating books to foster children in the area.

The "Books for Youth" program began in 2006 when the Department of Child Services partnered with the Indianapolis Colts to provide 25 age-appropriate books in the backpack of each foster youth and young adult in Marion County. The program was very successful and went statewide, setting a goal of collecting 35,000 books for all Indiana's foster youth and young adults by December 2008. To date 343,238 books have been collected.

For information or questions concerning the program contact Amy Miller at (317) 234-5753 or Stacy Lozer at 232-4435.