BY MORGAN YOUNG
Public Opinion Staff writer
CHAMBERSBURG PA --

Around 10,000 books have been collected for the sixth annual used book sale sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County and Trinity Lutheran Church in Greencastle, being held Thursday through Saturday.

Proceeds from the sale at the church, 1186 Jason Drive, Greencastle, will go to several nonprofit organizations through the church's mission project, with the majority of the profit benefiting Habitat's building fund.

"We see the book sale as a transfer of books from people who no longer want them to people who need them, and as a way to help charitable organizations along the way," said Mark Story, Habitat for Humanity executive director.

Drop boxes were placed in September at several locations across the county to collect books for the sale.

Last year, the sale raised over $5,000 for Habitat, which works to eliminate substandard housing in the county. It's enough money to make some key purchases for a new home, Story said.

"That would purchase windows for an entire house or whole new set of kitchen counters," he said.

The event was at first just a sale for the Greencastle church, until they decided to partner with county non-profits. The Lunch Place in Waynesboro, the Greencastle and McConnellsburg food banks and Women in Need, a battered woman's shelter in Chambersburg, also benefit from the sale.

Former book committee chairperson Doug McCullough said because the books were collected at various sites in the county, it was important for the church to give back to all the communities that contributed.

"We try to cover as wide an area as possible," he said.