'Reading is Fundamental' Program To Bring Free Books, Arts, Crafts to Stamford Youngsters

Children in kindergarten to fifth-grade will have the opportunity to select a free book, hear guest readers, sign up for a library card, enjoy arts-and-crafts activities – and be entertained by professional story teller.

The program is scheduled for Saturday, April 18 at the Ferguson Library, 3rd Floor Auditorium, One Public Library Plaza, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and will feature story teller Laconia ‘Lot’ Therrio.

This biannual Reading is FUNdamental Book Give-away is sponsored by the Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF), Reading is Fundamental and The Ferguson Library.

The partnership between “Reading is Fundamental” and its Be Book Smart fundraising campaign, SPEF has served hundreds of children and given away thousands of books over the past two years at its semiannual book giveaways held at The Ferguson Library’s main branch every spring and fall. As part of its literacy initiatives, for the second consecutive year, SPEF also will coordinate eight summer book giveaways in partnership with The Ferguson Library at local community centers to help curb summer reading loss.

This year, through the Be Book Smart campaign, SPEF received more than 4,000 books to improve literacy in Stamford’s underserved communities. The Be Book Smart campaign is a collaboration between RIF and Macy’s. Now in its eleventh year, Be Book Smart has provided more than ten million books across the U.S. for children in need. It raised more than $2.6 million last summer, totaling $32 million over the course of the partnership. The Be Book Smart campaign will be taking place again this summer for approximately four weeks during the months of June and July.

For further information or to make a donation call 203- 965-7733 or visit www.spefct.org.

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Contributed photo.