MANTUA, Ohio—-It all started with a box.
But little did Tom Monroe know that one act of kindness would another chapter in his life.
In 2008, Monroe, 67, sent a box of paperback books to a friend’s nephew who was deployed overseas. He’s sent books to thousands of troops since.
“It’s gotten out of hand,” said Monroe. “I spend about 140 hours a month obtaining, sorting, packing.”
Monroe, an Army Vet, mails more than 1,000 books to troops each month.
In the past four years, he’s shipped more than 32,000 books to servicemen and women.
“It’s personal, very personal,” he said. “I do not like to send a book over that I have not read one or two novels by the author.”
Monroe scours book sales throughout the community for sales. It costs about $500 to send his monthly goal, and he funds it almost entirely on his retirement.
Some people have donated, but to be clear, Monroe’s not looking for a handout.
“I do it because it’s the right thing to do for me,” he said.
Monroe remembers the days when he was stations in Korea in the 1960’s. He said mail call was the highlight of his days, and he gives considerable attention to the soldiers he’s never met before.
He keeps records of unit’s he’s mailed to, and which books each specific soldier receives. He wants troops to get books in order and to never get the same book twice.
Monroe said the most popular books include adventure, science fiction, mysteries and horror. And he’ll never lets gender stereotypes get into the way of his paperbacks.
“No, no. I’ve not had any call from the lady Marines asking for Harlequin romance novels,” he laughed.
Yet out of the 4,000 books in his basement, one set of books stand out above the rest.
“I got a phone call from a fella, and he had a complete set of Louie L’Amour westerns he wanted to donate for the troops,” Monroe said. “And box after box, they were all just in prime condition.
“Well, two months later, he had died,” Monroe said. He’d collected these. He’d read them. He’d enjoyed them, and now that he knew he was dying, this is what he wanted to do with them to make sure someone else was able to enjoy them.”
Persons interested in having military personnel receive books can contact Tom Monroe at (330) 274-0711.