Every child receives a free book at the Readers to Leaders Book Blast. This year’s Book Blast will be Thursday, July 23, 4-6 p.m. at the Mack Gaston Community Center.
The Readers to Leaders Third Annual Book Blast is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, at the Mack Gaston Community Center.
More than 100 volunteers are needed to staff the two-hour literacy celebration which last year attracted hundreds of participants.
“This is a great opportunity to get involved with Readers to Leaders, our community literacy initiative,” said Melissa Morrison, the United Way AmeriCorps VISTA who coordinates R2L activities for Dalton and Whitfield County.
This year’s celebration will include themed reading areas that will feature costumed characters representing children’s literary favorites, such as Dr. Seuss, Miss Frizzle of The Magic School Bus Series, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Pete the Cat, Dora the Explorer and more.
Volunteers are needed to read to kids, help children make crafts, distribute books as well as healthy snacks, take photos and fill helium balloons. Bilingual volunteers are needed to greet families when they arrive for the celebration.
Volunteer shifts are from 3-5 p.m. and 4:45-7 p.m.
Volunteer recruitment is being managed by United Way of Northwest Georgia; those interested in volunteering can register online at http://volunteernwga.org/user/events/one_v2.tcl?event_id=10893593031
Readers to Leaders was established in 2012 to support, promote, encourage, and nurture early literacy in all the children of the community. The work of R2L is accomplished both in and out of the classroom with the goal of building strong early learners who can succeed in school and in life. A primary goal of Readers to Leaders is to put books into the hands of area children and build a culture that values and promotes literacy.
The work of Readers to Leaders is carried out through book distribution programs such as Reach Out and Read, Book Nooks, the annual Book Blast, and summer Power Lunches. Readers to Leaders also supports and promotes other community literacy activities including Big Red Reads, programs of the Dalton Regional Library, and the United Way of Northwest Georgia’s Little Free Libraries.
Among Readers to Leaders’ sponsoring organizations are Advanced Insurance Strategies, Amerigroup, Anna Sue and Bob Shaw Foundation, Carpet Express, City of Dalton, Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia, Crosspointe Christian Center, Dalton Box, Dalton First Baptist Church, Dalton First United Methodist Church, Dalton First Presbyterian Church, Dalton Parks and Recreation Department, Dalton Public Schools, Dalton State Athletics, Dalton State College, Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority, Family Connections, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, and HL Strategies.
Other sponsors include Leadership Dalton-Whitfield Alumni Association, Mack Gaston Community Center, Modern Woodmen of America, National Title Pawn, Northwest Georgia Regional Library, NWGA Food Bank, Oakwood Café, Rock Bridge Community Church, Rotary Club of Dalton, Shaw Industries, Shell Underwood, The Daily Citizen, United Way of Northwest Georgia, University of Georgia Archway Partnership, Whitfield County, Whitfield County Schools, Whitfield Education Foundation, Women’s Community Club, WTTI Radio, and the Young Professionals of Northwest Georgia.
Each volunteer will receive a Readers to Leaders T-shirt. For more information, contact Melissa Morrison at 706.712-0961 or email readers2leadersdw@gmail.com. You can also visit the Readers to Leaders web site at http://readers2leadersdw.wix.com/readers2leadersdw or Facebook www.facebook.com/R2LDaltonWhitfield.
Reading is the name of the game at Readers to Leaders annual Book Blast. Free books, crafts, storybook
characters, and healthy snacks will all be featured at this year’s Book Blast.
Reading is the name of the game at Readers to Leaders annual Book Blast. Free books, crafts, storybook characters, and healthy snacks will all be featured at this year’s Book Blast.