Westfield Garden State Plaza Awards $2,500 Gift to Paramus Library

Paramus, NJ – The Bergen County “Unplugged” Reading Challenge wrapped up with a special celebration at Westfield Garden State Plaza on Saturday, February 15, from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM, honoring the young readers who participated in the challenge to unplug from their devices and start reading. Hosted in partnership with the Paramus Public Library, the event recognized children who logged their time reading and embraced the joy of books. Nearly 200 children participated in the month-long challenge with close to thirty of them in attendance at the awards ceremony.

Held in the Family Court near Planet Playskool, the celebration featured an awards ceremony where participants received prizes for their reading achievements. The first 100 readers who logged at least 100 minutes of reading time received a $15 Planet Playskool gift card, and the first 50 readers to reach 500 minutes received a gift certificate for a pair of Kid’s Crocs from the Westfield Garden State Plaza retailer.

Adding to the excitement, the Mayor of Paramus, Chistopher DiPiazza, read to the crowd and participated in the dissemination of “diplomas” that commemorated the children’s participation and dedication. He was joined at the ceremonies by other local dignitaries and representatives from the mall’s management team.

As part of the event, Westfield Garden State Plaza presented a $2,500 donation to the Paramus Public Library in support of children’s programming and literacy initiatives.

Representatives from Westfield Garden State Plaza and local officials join together to celebrate the mall’s $2,500K donation to the Paramus Public Library in honor of readers who participated in the“Bergen County Unplugged” Reading Challenge. Pictured from L. to R. are: Bianca Rivera, marketing manager, Westfield Garden State Plaza; Councilman Robert Kaiser; Councilwoman Mary Ellen Rizzo; Paramus Mayor Christopher DiPiazza; Councilman Michael Wilkins and Wesley Rebisz, senior general manager, Westfield Garden State Plaza.

“Garden State Plaza is a pillar of the community, and we strive to provide a fun and safe environment for our patrons," said Wesley Rebisz, senior general manager of Westfield Garden State Plaza. "The Paramus Public Library plays a vital role in fostering education and literacy in our community, and we are honored to support their mission. The success of the 'Unplugged' Reading Challenge demonstrates how powerful reading can be in the lives of children."

“We are incredibly proud of all the children who took part in this initiative, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements,” said Leonard LoPinto, director of the Paramus Public Library. “Encouraging a lifelong love of reading is one of the most important gifts we can give to our children.”