MANSFIELD, Ohio – The Big Red Bookshelf will kick off its fourth year of providing free books to young children in Richland County with an event on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – “a day on, not a day off.”
Children and their families are invited to the Richland Carrousel Park, 75 N. Main St., on Monday, Jan. 18, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. to hear a reading of “The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?” Each child will receive a free copy of the book and there will be pizza, snacks, and free carrousel rides.
Members of the Mansfield Mavericks basketball team and Mansfield Mavericks cheerleaders will be on-hand to read to the children.
The free event is sponsored, in part, by The Ohio State University-Mansfield and Richland Bank.
The Big Red Bookshelf collects new and gently used books appropriate for children ages infant through third grade at book drives throughout the year. The books are given away via several Big Red Bookshelves in Richland County, including the Mansfield Area YMCA, Richland County Job and Family Services, Richland Public Health, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, and the Bellville Neighborhood Outreach Center.
Studies show that more than 50 percent of children in Richland County are not prepared for kindergarten in language and literacy skills. If a child is successful in kindergarten, it is likely he or she will be successful in third grade. In addition, reading on grade level by the end of third grade is the most significant predictor of high school graduation. Studies have found 74 percent of students who can’t read on grade level by third grade are less likely to graduate from high school.
The Big Red Bookshelf is an ongoing project of United Way of Richland County and is made possible by volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Mansfield, Richland Bank, and the Richland County Youth and Family Council.
“United Way of Richland County is proud to be part of this MLK Day event and the sponsor of the Big Red Bookshelf,” said United Way Executive Director Dan Varn. “We understand the importance of childhood literacy and the impact on each child’s future success. We want to ensure no child is left without the opportunity to read.”
Anyone interested in hosting a book drive or donating money should call the United Way office at 419-525-2816.
