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May 25, 2011 will mark the end of Oprah’s career as a talk show host for the Oprah Winfrey Show. Many celebrities and stars have stopped by the show to honor and thank Oprah for all she has done, especially for her dedication to education, reading, and books.
Oprah has been a major supporter of books and book clubs. If a book landed on Oprah’s book club, it was almost always destined for success. According to Oprah’s website, to honor her, Target rebuilt a school library that was devastated. The school was able to rebuild the library, but it sat empty because the school did not have the funding to stock it.
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To honor Oprah’s 25 seasons, Target and the Heart of America Foundation are planning to rebuild 25 school libraries across the country.
In addition, 25,000 oak trees will be planted in honor of Oprah, including one tree in front of each of the new libraries. Here is a quote from Diane Sawyer on Oprah’s Farewell Show Part 1:
“Over the years, Oprah has often said that her favorite place to read is under the stately oak trees that surround her Santa Barbara home.”I’ve always thought that maybe the closest Oprah is to heaven is when she’s sitting in one of her big oak trees,” Diane says. “I think I know why you love those trees so much: They start with just a small seed, and then the first shoots and those saplings start to spring up. Then, the tree starts to grow and there it is with the deepest roots and still looking straight up at the sky. The stronger the wind, the stronger that tree standing there on the horizon. And that is like life, and that is like you and that is like The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
To further honor The Oprah Show’s 25 seasons, Diane tells Oprah that in front of each of the new libraries, a giant tree will be planted. “The Oprah tree,” Diane says. “Standing and inviting every one of those children to bring their books and their hopes and their fears and to know that you are there to embrace them.”
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This just reinforces the ideal that books are vital to our country’s future success.
Do you believe Oprah has played a pivotal role in education and the promotion of the importance of books?
