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A new chapter for downtown’s bronze statue

Book returned to 'reading girl' after it was stolen more than a decade ago

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Grandfather and granddaughter, Randy Curtis and Olivia Brotherton, help remove the plastic from the newly refurbished reading girl statue. They spearheaded efforts to replace the statue's book, which was stolen more than a decade ago. City officials, local leaders and citizens attended the unveiling ceremony on Saturday.

Grandfather and granddaughter, Randy Curtis and Olivia Brotherton, help remove the plastic from the newly refurbished reading girl statue. They spearheaded efforts to replace the statue's book, which was stolen more than a decade ago. City officials, local leaders and citizens attended the unveiling ceremony on Saturday.

Camas resident Randy Curtis and his granddaughter Olivia Brotherton, 9, talk about the circumstances that inspired their efforts to replace a book that had been stolen from a statue in downtown Camas more than a decade ago.

Camas resident Randy Curtis and his granddaughter Olivia Brotherton, 9, talk about the circumstances that inspired their efforts to replace a book that had been stolen from a statue in downtown Camas more than a decade ago.

Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian Ian Zarosinski and the Skyview football team have had a lot to celebrate during the postseason. In two playoffs games at Kiggins Bowl this month, the Storm have outscored opponents 96-35.

Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian Ian Zarosinski and the Skyview football team have had a lot to celebrate during the postseason. In two playoffs games at Kiggins Bowl this month, the Storm have outscored opponents 96-35.

Recent efforts to replace a bronze statue’s stolen book were inspired by a Camas fifth-grader who was concerned that the little girl looked lonely. In turn, the bronze statue inspired the 9-year-old’s imagination and creativity as the subject of her very own short story, featuring dragons, thieves, beasts and magic spells.

Olivia Brotherton, a student at Grass Valley Elementary School, was on hand Saturday afternoon to unveil the newly refurbished “reading girl” bronze statue. The statue of a little girl reading a book sits on one of the benches that surround the fountain located at Northeast Fourth Avenue and Cedar Street in downtown Camas.

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