Community members “read-off” 300 stories to elementary students to earn book donations

Last Thursday Maricopa’s elementary students got a treat as community members–including policemen, firefighters, and servicemen–toured classrooms for a read-off.

Thanks to a partnership between Province’s Helping Hands R.S.V.P. (Retired Senior-Citizens Volunteer Program) and United Way, children had the chance to read stories with their elders and earn books for their classrooms at the same time.

United Way, based out of Virginia, has been helping American communities raise funds for service programs since the 19th century and is still instrumental in helping sponsor children’s programs (like the Success by 6 Program) and several disaster relief efforts.

“The Success by 6 Program targets preschool and kindergarten classes to show the importance of reading to children,” Pima Butte coordinator Jenn Berger explained.

Chief of Fire Prevention Eddie Rodriguez holds up a book about a fire engine he’s about to read in a classroom at Maricopa Elementary School last Thursday. (Photo courtesy of Betty Johnson)

With Helping Hands joining forces with United Way, volunteers came to kindergarten and first grade classrooms to tell stories, either bringing in their own books or picking from ones supplied by the schools. For each story told, per 15-minute intervals, Helping Hands and United Way provided a matching book donation.

“It was a small turnout out this year,” parent and volunteer facilitator Inez Ramirez said. “Just because it’s our first year, and we’re trying to get the word out there. But, hopefully, they’re going to do this every year, and, hopefully, it will grow as the time passes and parents are more aware of it where they can come in and actually read.”

Inez Ramirez, parent and volunteer coordinator of the United Way Book Donation read-off, reads a Dr. Seuss book to Melissa Ibarra’s kindergarten class at Santa Rosa Elementary.

Although it was the organization’s first attempt at this annual fundraising event, elementary principals saw it as extremely successful. A little fewer than 100 volunteers made an appearance at the district’s four elementary schools. They included parents, men and women in uniform, Intel employees and Friends of the Library members. Province’s R.S.V.P. volunteers (21 of them) made their rounds at all elementary schools, combining a total of 54 community service hours reading almost fifty books collectively. Over 300 stories were told district-wide.

Friends of the Library member Pat Larson helps Santa Rosa kindergarteners count and identify colors from an interactive activity book.

Friends of the Library chairperson Shelley Gillespie was one of the readers at Maricopa Elementary School.

“It was a great first effort,” Santa Rosa Principal Rick Abel said. “The kids and the readers had a great time. They probably read 40 books for our kids. I know that Inez Ramirez plans to contact United Way in hopes of doing it again next semester and recruiting more parent volunteers. We hope to be able to ‘grow’ this valuable event.”

A Helping Hands R.S.V.P. volunteer from Maricopa’s Province community gets feedback from students in Amanda Ball’s kindergarten class at Pima Butte Elementary.

“We really should thank the district and the principals for their support of the program,” Ramirez said. “And the teachers, too, for making the time because it interrupts their class time. And, of course, the parents and RSVP members who participated. We appreciate their time, and United Way’s sponsorship.”

To learn more about United Way’s programs, visit their website. For information on future volunteer opportunities for the next fundraiser, contact your local elementary school, or call Inez Ramirez at (602) 690-0826.