Sharing a love of reading while giving back
ZANESVILLE − A child's love for reading and a local company's Christmas spirit will combine to bring holiday cheer to Putnam Avenue on Wednesday.
Kendie Gibson loves to read. The 7-year-old Maysville Elementary School second grader wanted to share that love with everyone else.
Kendie was taking part in Pablo's Tires Christmas celebration last year when she asked her grandmother Donna McFee if she thought kids would like to get a book. That set the wheels in motion for taking part in this year's event at Pablo's.
On Wednesday, Pablo's will be hosting a Christmas celebration, with gifts for children who stop by between 4 and 6 p.m. Kendie will be on hand to give away books, and her little sister will there to help give away coloring books. It is all part of an event Pablo's co-owner Armando Treto said is a chance to give back to the community. "There is no better day to give back than Christmas," he said.
The tire shop is partnering with 3i Holsters and Zane Feed and Supply to provide gifts to the children who come by Wednesday. Santa, an elf helper and the Grinch will also be on hand for pictures. Food and drink will be available as well. "To us, it is how can we give back to the community, the community has been really good to us," Treto added.
Once McFee and Kendie's mother Brook Rose heard about Kendie's plan, they set to work finding sponsors to help with the books and other things to give to children. State Farm agent Dave Crist provided coloring books, the Muskingum County Library System and Texas Roadhouse both supplied bookmarks. And if a youngster reads three books they can get a free kid's meal at the Zanesville restaurant. Denny's provided crowns, and the Norval Park Church of Christ and the Muskingum County Literacy Council provided books, as well as friends and family who dropped off books at the Rose's South Zanesville home.
Kendie's family is encouraging her to be active in the community, which will help her overcome her shyness. She's a dancer and an artist and an athlete, as well as a prolific reader.
"We didn't realize it was going to be this scale of a project," Brook said. "We are very thankful that the sponsors around town have been able to help pitch in to make this happen for her."
Kendie, whose favorite books are both Dr. Seuss classics "Are You My Mother" and "Green Eggs and Ham" said she has plans for any books left over from the event. "We are going to the hospital to drop off books for kids who couldn't come," she said.
ccrook@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Sharing a love of reading while giving back
