Realtor donates books to Jessamine County schools
Published 10:28 am Thursday, December 12, 2019
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From staff reports
Every child in Jessamine County schools will have the opportunity to read the true story of an inspirational Kentuckian, thanks to a donation from The Agency, a local real estate firm.
Aaron Allnut, the principal broker for The Agency, has donated a copy of “The Boy Who Delivered Joy” to every elementary, middle and high school library in the county. The book, by FOX 56 news anchor Marvin Bartlett, recounts the story of Jarrett Mynear, a young cancer patient from Nicholasville who gained national attention in 1999 for his acts of volunteerism. Jarrett became a year-round Santa Claus, collecting and delivering toys to the Kentucky Children’s Hospital through his “joy carts.”
Allnut and his family have been big supporters of Jarrett’s Joy Cart through the years and his agency has headed up toy drives for the charity.
Bartlett said The Agency was one of the first businesses to step forward when he floated the idea of placing books in school libraries. He said many schools around the state have used the book in leadership programs.
“Jarrett’s story demonstrates how a little idea can become a big deal and how children can make a difference,” Bartlett said. “I’m delighted that this book will now be in so many libraries and I’m grateful for Aaron and others like him who are making it possible.”
Jarrett Mynear’s project led him to national television appearances on Oprah and The Rosie O’Donnell Show, which resulted in more Joy Carts being formed at hospitals throughout the country. Even though Jarrett lost his battle to cancer in 2002, his Joy Cart still rolls every week at children’s hospitals in Lexington, Louisville and Seattle. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the project.