A former area resident who has a passion for helping people and animals wants to put more books into libraries across the country.

Chuck Shuck, formerly of Lansford, recently announced that for the month of February, he is working on a project called “Libraries Across America” in the hopes of putting more “Bonded by Battle Books, which stars his late hero dog Gabe, as well as “Gabe: The Dog Who Sniffs Out Danger” nationwide.

“I have been wanting to do this project for a long time, but other projects always got in the way,” he said recently on Facebook, noting that he wants these two books to be included in collections to educate people on the work military dogs do to keep troops safe. “My goal will be to touch 500 libraries.”

Shuck, who retired from the U.S. Army as Sergeant 1st Class, has made it his mission over the last decade to help as many dogs, children and families as possible through his group Gabe to the Rescue.

To participate in the project, Shuck is asking for $20 sponsorships to a library. This will cover providing a copy of both books to that library, as well as shipping costs. Sponsors can designate their donation to go to a specific library, which can be a school, public or private library; but if no designation is made, or if that library is already sponsored, it will go to another library of Shuck’s choosing.

As of Thursday, Shuck was 16 sponsorships away from hitting 100 libraries nationwide. Area libraries who currently have been sponsored include the Panther Valley Public Library in Lansford and Dimmick Memorial Library in Jim Thorpe.

To become a sponsor, you can PayPal a donation to cshuck99@yahoo.com using the friends and family option or mail a check, cash or money order made payable to Charles Shuck to 8782 Wilmore Lane, Spotsylvania, VA 22553. Include what city and state you are frome and which library your sponsorship is to go to.

For more information or to see updated lists of all libraries that have been sponsored, check out Gabe to the Rescue on Facebook.