Books come to life with the 2nd annual Storybridge Live
Storybridge brought books to life for a crowd of hundreds with its 2nd annual Storybridge Live event held Saturday morning in the Hodgetown stadium.
The fundraiser event was presented by Amarillo Independent School District and included 12 well-known children’s book characters that each child got a chance to meet. Characters included characters such as Curious George, Rainbow Fish, Very Hungary Caterpillar and Skippyjon Jones, as well as new favorites Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, and Elephant & Piggie, among many more.
"This last year was huge success; it really blew our minds how many kids and families that were hungry for an experience like this that is fun for the whole family," said Chandra Perkins, Executive Director of Storybridge.
During Saturday's event, children from across the Texas Panhandle were able to meet their favorite book characters as they were stationed around the concourse, share a hug and take a photo with them.
"This is an experience that kids remember forever, as they have only seen these characters in two dimensions on a page or on a screen, and there is just nothing like walking up and seeing Junie B. Jones looking right at you and wanting a hug. It's something kids don't forget. We hope that this inspires them to pick up more books and to look for different kinds of books," Perkins said.
Perkins added that with this event, Storybridge had a goal to reach $60,000 to support its reading programs and give each child access to 20 books of their choosing, but that goal had been reached by sponsors before the event was hosted. The executive director said that this event is the only large-scale fundraiser that the organization hosts annually and hopes to be able to expand and reach more children with the overwhelming support.
In addition to meeting the characters, parents and children also had the opportunity to get their face painted, receive a specialty balloon from the balloon artists, and choose a free book. Perkins said that the second annual event also included a sensory room for the children to relax in, if the event became too overwhelming.
"We are trying this year to utilize a sensory room. Last year, our Storybridge Live experience had so many kids in attendance that some of the feedback we received said it was overwhelming for children who are easily stimulated. This year, we created a space for parents to take their children once they realize they are being overstimulated," Perkins said.
Local organizations in partnership with Storybridge were able to be in attendance and spread awareness such as Amarillo Professional Counseling and Consultation.
"We appreciate Storybridge's impact on the community, and we want to support literacy, especially for kids who might not otherwise have access to it. And in partnering with them here at this event, we are able to connect with children and families who we can consult in parenting and trauma informed care," said Elizabeth Clark, licensed counselor for Amarillo Professional Counseling and Consultation.
With this event, Storybridge also celebrated its recent milestone acknowledging the enrollment of 5,000 children from Potter and Randall counties in the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. Its 5,000th child enrolled on Sept. 9. According to Perkins, this is a goal that they didn't not expect to reach until approximately three years into their partnership, but they were able to achieve it a year earlier than projected.
For more information, or to sign up or donate, visit Storybridge online at storybridgeama.org .
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Books come to life with the 2nd annual Storybridge Live
