The 15th Annual Altrusa Read-In for Literacy was held April 26 across the county. The goal was to provide every kindergarten, first and second grade classroom in Alachua County with a guest reader.
Since SF’s East Gainesville Initiative officially adopted Rawlings Elementary School, several members of the SF family showed up to read to the Rawlings students. Angela Carter, Aminah Nichols, Karen Cole-Smith, James Albury, Felicia Smith, Naima Brown and Lois Jones shared their love of reading with the youth. (Click on the photo for a larger view.)
The group met in the Rawlings elementary library and selected the books the books that they would read and each set off into a different classroom to read to the children.
“The experience was awesome,” said Dr. Karen Cole-Smith, Director of the East Gainesville Initiative and the coordinator for this event. “The innocence of children always warms my heart!”
SF volunteers also read to students at nearby Hidden Oak Elementary. Below is Myra Sterrett, Director, SF Libraray, reading to first graders (click the photo for a larger view). Hidden Oak volunteers included Melina Jimenez, Kim Kendall, Yvonne Amundson, Celeta Taylor, Brandy WIlliams-DeBotti, Joan Campbell, Angela Perry, Tabrisha Baker, Susan Kulmacz, Claudia Connelly, Audrey Holt, Betsy Albury, Trenita White, Susan Miller, Amy Wagner, Julie Garrett and Renda Springs.
Shelly Banfield volunteered at Archer Community School and Debi McElroy read at Irby Elementary School in Alachua.