Success By 6 at United Way of Mid Coast Maine is seeking volunteers who love to read with children to register for this year's Community Read Aloud on Monday, March 3.

Success By 6 seeks volunteers for Community Read Aloud

Success By 6 seeks volunteers for Community Read Aloud

Success By 6 seeks volunteers for Community Read Aloud

Success By 6 at United Way of Mid Coast Maine is seeking volunteers who love to read with children to register for this year's Community Read Aloud on Monday, March 3.

"The children were so interested in the books, they didn't want to go to lunch!" said Reverend Esther Lu Lasher of South Bristol after she read to a classroom of first and second graders at the South Bristol Elementary School during a past Community Read Aloud event.

The Community Read Aloud is one of the ways Success By 6 promotes the importance of reading and sharing of stories with young children. Volunteers usually visit for half an hour to an hour at a site, and are asked to read one or more quality children's books and to talk about why reading is important in their own lives.

Stephanie Levy, who coordinates this special event, is beginning to match volunteers and sites. However, more volunteers are needed to register to ensure that a volunteer is available for each reading site. "While we still need more readers for many of our Lincoln County schools and child cares, we especially need more volunteers for schools in Bristol, South Bristol, Nobleboro, Waldoboro and Wiscasset," says Levy.

Last year, 325 community volunteers registered to read their favorite children's books with approximately 4,000 children in Mid Coast school classrooms, Head Start centers, and child care sites in Damariscotta, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Bristol, South Bristol, Waldoboro, Boothbay Harbor and Wiscasset, as well as in Brunswick, Harpswell and the towns in Sagadahoc County. Due to a snowstorm last year, many of the readers had to postpone their reading to another day. This year, most sites have already agreed to schedule Tuesday, March 4 for the vent if Monday is a snow day.

The children who participated previous Community Read Alouds were extremely enthusiastic about the event. Joann Lennox at the Whitefield-Northern Lincoln County Head Start spoke about her experience in 2006: "Our volunteer read I Like Me. To this day, when I see some of the children look at themselves in the mirror, I hear them say, `Hey, Good Lookin'!" Martha Violette, a teacher at the Nobleboro Central School, talked about why this event is important for her students. "It's always great when the community participates. The children get to see yet one more person who loves to read and will take the time to share books with them."

"The volunteers and the teachers and child care providers all tell us how much they love being part of this special event," says Peter Lindsay, Director of Success By 6 at United Way of Mid Coast Maine. "And most importantly, we hear how much the children love the Community Read Aloud. I have heard of preschool children who pretend to read to the other children after the volunteer leaves, and older children who have gone to their library to get out the book the volunteer introduced to them. It really is fun for all involved!"

Success

is seeking volunteers from all walks of life who enjoy reading to young children. "We especially need more volunteers for the sites on the peninsulas and in Waldoboro," adds Peter Lindsay, Director of Success By 6 . To register for this year's Community Read Aloud, contact Success By 6 at United Way at 442-7440 or success@uwcm.org .

Success By 6 at United Way of Mid Coast Maine is dedicated to ensuring that all area children get the best possible start in life, with the support of their families and the whole community. Success By 6 seeks to increase supports to parents, especially through home visiting services; to increase high-quality, affordable, and accessible child care; to promote reading to infants and young children; and to help all children enter school ready to learn and succeed.