Halloween Fun to Support Local Nonprofit All Ages Read Together!

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All Ages Read Together (AART) will host their 10th Annual ~not too spooky~ Halloween Hoedown Fundraiser on October 29, 2022 at River Farm in Leesburg, VA. This will be the first year back after a 2-year hiatus! 100% of the proceeds will go to support AART’s mission in providing free preschool classes to under-resourced communities in Northern Virginia. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities available at https://bit.ly/aarthoedown2022

“We are so excited to welcome back this family-friendly fundraising event!” shared AART’s Board Chair, Lara Major. “The past few falls just haven’t been same without it.”

The horseshow arena at River Farms in Leesburg will be transformed into a Halloween-themed Hoedown complete with a BBQ buffet from Willard’s (vegetarian options from Trungo’s available), local wines from Fabbioli Winery, live band playing classic rock-n-roll, and a mechanical bull! Kids of all ages can enjoy the Kiddie Korral, where they can do arts and crafts, face painting, games, and a play in an inflatable.

There is no dress code for the event, though western attire or costumes are encouraged. There will be prizes for best costumes for adult, children, and group.

Come and bid at a silent auction containing an assortment of baskets, all professionally wrapped; these make excellent holiday gifts. New this year - some higher-end items - such as sporting event tickets and at least 10 vacation packages including Greece & The Greek Islands, Castles of Ireland, Fire & Ice Iceland, and more.

“Come out and have a wonderful night of fun while supporting a small organization making a big impact in Northern Virginia,” said Michelle Sullivan, AART’s Executive Director. “The organization is hoping to raise $22,500 which will cover the cost of one of our school-year classes.”

AART was founded in 2017 as an intergenerational reading program in Loudoun County. The purpose was to strengthen intergenerational connections between seniors living in a senior community and children on Head Start waiting lists. After a few sessions, it became undeniable that there was a greater need to provide fundamental skills in vocabulary, language, and reading. What began with one class incorporating easy lessons in letter recognition and counting into reading time has evolved into an entire program with 14 school-year (and growing!) and 6 summer classes in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties.

“Unfortunately, preschool is not a part of the public school system in Virginia. While there are publicly funded preschools, we find that many working families do not qualify because of income restrictions,” shared Julie Brunson, AART’s Program Director. “We fill a critical gap in preschool opportunities for so many families in our region.”

According to the Community Foundation for Northern Virigina’s report titled Ready for Kindergarten, Ready for Life, only 29% of children from low-income families are enrolled in preschool. Comparing the 67% enrolled from higher-income households, you will find the highest income disparity of preschool enrollment in the country.

“If children do not attend preschool, they may find themselves 12 to 14 months behind those who did.” Sullivan stated. “Programs like AART are leveling the playing field by providing otherwise unserved children the opportunity to succeed on day one of kindergarten.”

Doors open at 5:00 pm and attendees will have immediate access all activities and food. Silent auction will have a rolling closing times of 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, and 8:30 pm and you must be present to win.

Tickets and sponsorships are still available and can be purchased at https://bit.ly/aarthoedown2022

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