During the week of Oct. 26-30, the Oxford High School Key Club has invited all cookie lovers to donate their gently used children’s books in exchange for homemade and store-bought cookies.

The swap has been a big success – more than 200 children’s books have been collected in just one week. But why the exchange for cookies, you might ask?

“Everybody loves cookies,” said club sponsor and English teacher, Kim Austin.

Although the cookies are an exciting reward for students, second-year club president Ruth Hogue is far more pleased with the cause than with the compensation.

“The books are going to children who are not in the greatest situations,” Hogue said.

The club hopes to bring awareness to underprivileged children who don’t have the same opportunities and privileges as those at Oxford High School.

Along with other charities sponsored by the Key Club, the donated items are distributed around Lafayette County and surrounding areas to those in need.

According to club member Savannah Hesidence, the books are being donated to an elementary school in Carleton.

To the club’s surprise, enough books have been collected to send to at least two elementary schools, if not three.  The books will be distributed to an elementary school in Marks, in addition to Marshall Elementary in Carleton.

“They don’t have that many books, so we are collecting books for them,” Hesidence said.

In the past year, the Key Club has written letters to men and women in prison, sent Valentine’s Day cards to those in the community, passed out encouraging notes in the hallway, and even assisted with the Buddy Walk.

“We believe it is most important to help out the people nearest to you first,” Hogue said.

Inspired by the club’s booming success, the Key Club has even more big plans for this school year. The club is helping Beyond Our Walls raise money for Operation Christmas Child, which benefits countries around the world.

“Operation Christmas Child sends out a Christmas catalog every year, but instead of ordering socks or makeup, you can buy goats, chicks, sheep, or freshwater,” Austin said. “We are going to be working towards buying some goats for a village.”