Eubanks writes yet another page-turner

He wasn’t there for the front page photo that was published Tuesday.

Nobody was surprised.

That’s because retired teacher Dave Eubanks avoids the spotlight while performing as much community service as possible.

A member of the Coeur d’Alene School Board, Eubanks decided to stop complaining about literacy problems and instead do something about them. Thus Jingle Books was born in 2014 with what seemed an overly ambitious goal of collecting and distributing 4,000 new and gently used books.

This year, the efforts of Eubanks and his band of merry literary elves netted 45,000 books. That’s enough for every kindergartner, first-grader, second-grader and third-grader in Kootenai County to take six books home.

Studies have shown teaching kids to read early creates a lifetime of benefit. Sadly, the opposite holds true, too. Kids who don’t read or end up functionally illiterate are far more likely to end up in unemployment lines or prison than their adequate-reading peers.

Now, about that Eubanks character.

The Press refuses to let him hide behind others while this astonishing and important program receives well-earned attention. We’re also ringing the Jingle Books bells because the more people are aware of the program now, the more they might be inclined to donate books or money for books next year. This simply would not have happened without Eubanks’ idea, passion and persistence.

In our view, Eubanks is a gift to the community. He and his wife are parents to five special-needs children in addition to their other gifted offspring. Dave started the now highly anticipated Multicultural Faire at the former Lakes Middle School, and perhaps most amazing of all, he’s the proud owner of someone else’s ticker. Eubanks, who exercises like an athlete and works outdoors relentlessly, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of his heart transplant in February.

We’re left to conclude that Santa must’ve given his spare heart to Dave.