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021 | Lana Gay (A Good Book Drive)

Posted on February 9, 2016March 4, 2023 By Sammy Younan No Comments on 021 | Lana Gay (A Good Book Drive)

My Summer Lair Chapter #21: What’s Your Favourite Children’s Book?

This spirited chapter of My Summer Lair opens with Lana Gay reading Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. (When Lana talks about the passing of Dr. Seuss I realize how little I know about the man…I dig his books but who was Dr. Seuss? There’s gotta be a documentary…Oh The Things You’ll Google!)

I met Lana…not sure how many years ago when she’d started working at Edge 102 first as a promo lass before graduating to on-air DJ. There’s a strange story about beans and a bathtub you should ask her about.

I didn’t “work” at the Edge I was just…Lunch Boy. I’d show up every day at lunch and just…hang out. I too graduated from Lunch Boy to show prep, helping DJs with interviews…I’m often asked if I have any radio experience before Girth and I always answer kinda.

Eventually Lana moved to Vancouver (see…Oh The Places You’ll Go!) and this is where she first encountered a Good Book Drive via the charming hosts of Rain City Chronicles.

She moved back to Toronto bringing with her A Good Book Drive. That she’s brought the Drive to Toronto is outstanding: I’m hoping this becomes a bold tradition we eagerly adopt. Toronto could use more healthy traditions.

The aim is to collect 1000 children’s books for The Children’s Book Bank in Regent Park. How cool would it be to collect more than 1000 books? Let’s Do This, yo!

It’s an amazing privilege to participate in opportunities like this…we tend to get up caught up on carefully defining isms and debates; it’s easier to draw lines than to respond.

The simplicity and beauty of A Good Book Drive transcend all that…drop off a children’s book or more and you make Toronto and yourself better. That’s fantastic.

For more on the Good Book Drive here’s this charming video (I’m in the dude in the adidas jacket!):

Lana Gay @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Friday February 5, 2016 at 6:00 pm (at Girth Radio)

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My Summer Lair, Podcast Tags:A Good Book Drive, Dr. Seuss, Lana Gay, Toronto

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Previous Post: 020 | Andrew Lamb (Neighbourhood Watch)
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