A Gift of Literacy from the Heart

Senior Abbie Theobald of Aquinas High School is making a lasting impact on our community—one book at a time. As a dedicated Girl Scout, Abbie recently designed, built, painted, and installed two Free Little Libraries, creating welcoming spaces where readers of all ages can discover the joy of books.

These charming book boxes operate on a simple but powerful idea: take a book, leave a book. Filled with free reads for anyone who stops by, they help ensure that access to books is never a barrier.

One library has already been installed in Aiken, South Carolina, and the second will be unveiled this Friday, April 17, at the Family Y Child Development Center (1425 Walton Way in Augusta).

For Abbie, this project is deeply personal. As a child, she faced challenges with reading—making this effort not just a service project, but a meaningful way to encourage and inspire young readers who may be facing similar struggles. Her work represents the heart of her Girl Scout Gold Award Project, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

We are incredibly grateful to Abbie for this thoughtful and impactful gift to our community.

At RISE Augusta, we are proud to support efforts like these. Our team stocks and maintains approximately 20 Free Little Libraries across the Augusta area, refreshing them every two weeks to keep books accessible and engaging for families. We are excited to welcome Abbie’s newest additions to this growing network of literacy support.