Assistance League Member Volunteers Love to R.E.A.D.!

In 2003, Assistance League® of Diablo Valley, a member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through hands-on programs, initiated the R.E.A.D. program, to encourage elementary schoolchildren to Read, Enrich, Achieve and Discover. More recently, the R.E.A.D. program was umbrellaed under the nationally acclaimed Operation School Bell® and is now one of sixteen programs.

Program Operation School Bell VP Carol Parkhurst and Chairman Suzanne Wise report that due to the energetic volunteers committed to reading monthly to students in the classroom, that both the students and program continue to thrive. Specifically, the R.E.A.D. volunteers read to approximately 1000 second grade students in 39 classrooms in 13 schools in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Walnut Creek School District in a mere eight month’s time.

Not only did R.E.A.D. donate 980 books to the classrooms, it allocated $500 to each of the 13 schools’ librarians to cover the cost of their Wishlist by providing year-end books for the students’ reading enjoyment. Consequently, every second grade student involved in R.E.A.D. will have a book to take home to enjoy over the summer.

To that end, an at-home R.E.A.D. session encourages children and their families to embrace the joy of reading on a daily basis. Children seeing parents and/or guardians reading at home are likely to follow suit. Designating a time of the day when you and your family members can gather for a quiet read session increases its longevity. Concluding the read session with each family member contributing one sentence as to insights/enjoyment gained brings the reading experience to life. Encouraging children to draw/paint a visual that captures the spirit of their reading material enhances the overall experience. Providing books as gifts and rewards reinforces “I Love to Read!” Happy Reading.

The principal source of funding for all 16 hands-on programs is Assistance League Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way, in Lafayette. Much appreciated donations and purchases ultimately improve the lives of those in our community who are vulnerable.