Alys Culhane, the founder of the Bright Lights Book Project, lives in Alaska, and she just returned from a hiking trek at the Tombstone Provincial Part alongside the Dumpster Highway in Canada.

The first load of books her group collected for the Bishop Gibbons Library has arrived, and about 20 more boxes are on the way. She gives the Army of Good a new point of reference, spiritually and geographically.

Alys, who recycles books and sends them out to people who need them, is single-handedly re-stocking the school library.

I have never met Alys and know little about her, but she has a great big and generous heart and loves dogs, cats and ponies. For all it’s problems, the Internet can work miracles.

She fits almost every stereotype of Alaska I carry in my head – brave, adventurous,  fiercely independent, and unstoppable. Oddballs and individualists are the norm in Alaska, I’m told. It seems to be true.

She just returned from hiking in beautiful but remote terrain that would do me in a mile.

A few years ago, she started Street Lights by going to garbage dumps to save discarded books.

Most of the books she collects are brand new; some need cleaning.

She’s sending Bishop Gibbons about $5,000 worth of books so their library can’t follow the students’ current interests.

She also sends a box of books to Gerry at the Mansion and wants to send more.

She is an angel who comes into our work to do good and save us a lot of money.

This is a connection I never expected to make but am determined to keep. Aside from the obvious reasons, Alys is just a fantastic character, and it’s clear that when she sets her mind to something, it will get done, no matter what stands in the way.

I wanted to raise thousands of dollars for Bishop Gibbon’s new books, but Alys read my blog post about it and insisted she could do it.

And she has.

All the way from Palmer, Alaska.

I hope to meet Alys one day or at least talk with her on the phone. We’re getting close. She has been reading the blog for a long time, and as always, I am amazed at the connections that happen here.

I can’t thank Alys enough for what she has already done, and she doesn’t care if I do or don’t. Like many of us, she is on fire to do good,  good is its own reward, and this, I believe, will change our world. Welcome back from your hike, Alys.

I’m going to Bishop Gibbons this Thursday and I hope to catch a photo of your books.