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Tried running a book club in block 4 and learned the hard way about timing | DIY Prison Reform - Free To Speak

Tried running a book club in block 4 and learned the hard way about timing

Last month I started a book club in block 4 at the county jail where I volunteer. First session, I handed out copies of a short novel I thought was perfect. Big mistake, half the guys couldn't focus because it was right after dinner when everyone is tired and cranky. One guy threw the book down and said this is just school all over again. I switched to Sunday mornings at 10 AM with coffee and donuts I brought from my own pocket. Now we got 8 guys reading regularly and they actually talk about the chapters. Has anyone else found a specific time or setup that works better for group programs inside?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_bailey3mo ago

Wait, hold on. Is this really something to stress over? I mean, you brought donuts and coffee, that's cool and all, but are we really acting like a couple guys tossing a book makes this some sort of big life lesson? Seems like you just hit a rough patch and fixed it with free snacks and a different hour, which is pretty basic stuff. Not trying to be harsh, but maybe just relax a little, it's a book club in lockup, not a NASA launch.

cole_flores443mo ago

Fr fr @phoenix_bailey nailed it, donuts fix everything.

michaelgrant3mo ago

Nah, I gotta push back a little here. People act like every small moment in life needs to be some deep, meaningful lesson or a movie scene with a lesson at the end. You brought donuts, you talked it out, you moved on. That's not a life philosophy, that's just Tuesday. Lockup or not, sometimes a bad hour is just a bad hour and you fix it with sugar and a change of scenery. Not everything needs to be turned into a whole moral of the story.