"Reading Buddies" Brings Different Generations Together for an Afternoon of Literacy

There was a real love of reading connection between young and old in classrooms at the Red Bank Primary School on Friday afternoon.

First graders read essays they wrote on why they love books to senior citizens. Seniors read children's books to the pupils -- all part of the weekly Reading Buddies Program.

An Noon, three first grade pupils read their essays to the eight volunteer senior citizens. At 12:30 p.m the action moved down the hall to another classroom where the seniors read children's books to the pupils. The first graders listened intently as the men and women from another generation read books to them.

The senior citizen readers were: Ann Doran, Rumson, Gail Drawbaugh, Little Silver, Elaine Klein, Ocean Grove, Doris Mahoney, Tinton Falls, Marcy Maxwell, Fair Haven, Ray McKernan, Wanamasa, Lori Sadwith. Ocean Township and Ann Yurko, Red Bank.

"This is all volunteer work and I have been doing this for 20 years and I love it," Doran said.

Mahoney, who has been a reader at the school for more than five years, said their regular Friday visits are always met with smiles and enthusiam.

"The children are so cute, so receptive to everything I say and do. They hang on to my every word," Mahoney said.

Mahoney and her fellow volunteers come from communities across Monmouth County to read to children, primarily because they understand the importance of encouraging literacy at an early age.

After the students read their essays, and just before the senior citizens read to the pupils, representatives of the Family and Children's Service, which sponsors Reading Buddies and Ron Kowaski, district manager for Panera Bread, presented a $11,641 check to the school. The money will be shared with the county's other public elementary schools to buy supplies and books.

The money was raised from customers at Panera's cafes in Shrewsbury, Middletown, Howell, Freehold and Ocean Township. At containers located adjacent to cash registers, customers had the opportunity to donate to what is called "Operation Dough-Nation" for important causes, such as literacy with free books. 

The money raised goes directly to Family and Children Service, which then distributes it to the 18 county schools, including the Red Bank Primary School.

Accepting Panera's customers' check, on behalf of the agency, FCS President & CEO Vincent D'Elia thanked Panera and their customers for their continued support.

"Today's donation will help us continue that mission, by providing much needed school supplies and thousands of free books to school children throughout Monmouth County," D'Elia said.

About 10 minutes after the children read their essays to the seniors, the gathering of dignitaries from Panera Bread, Children and Family Service, the eight volunteer senior citizens, Red Bank Primary School Principal Rick Cohen, reporters, school public relations representatives  walked to another classroom where students were sitting a tables and reading the free books.

The students were not deterred from their reading even while the large gathering of adults who had descended on them, and even with news photographers with cameras in hand clicking away with flash bulbs from the cameras,

The first graders took all of the excitement in stride and continued reading their books chapter by chapter.

At Red Bank Primary School's FCS's child literacy programs are designed to augment the school's regular reading curriculum.

Red Bank Primary Principal Rick Cohen said that the free books are a "wonderful resource, and this extends the student learning while the Reading Buddies program makes connections with these resources (books) and gives our students the opportunity to practice their (reading) skills."

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