VIN'S PEOPLE: Books for Kids literacy program seeking volunteers to help make a difference

Vin Mannix
·2 min read
Vin Mannix
Vin Mannix

Want to help make a difference to the youngest students in some of our schools in Manatee and Sarasota?

Consider volunteering for the Books For Kids Promoting Literacy programs sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch. Books For Kids is designed not only to improve reading comprehension, but also instill a love of reading in young learners.

Beginning in October, there will be a weekly program with kindergarteners in addition to a monthly program with first, second and third graders. Overall the programs include approximately 4,000 students in 10 schools and thousands of books are distributed monthly.

The weekly program involves volunteers working with kindergarteners 1-on-1, reading a pre-selected book, a lesson plan and additional materials – i.e., magnetic letters, art materials – to amplify the book connection. The monthly program involves a group setting with the volunteer reading a pre-selected book aloud to the class followed by a discussion.

Students get to keep books at the conclusion of each session in both programs.

Interested? Call 845-304-5793 for more details or email: Ted Lindenberg at stlind88@cloud.com, Susan Travilla at stravilla@msn.com, or Joanne Vernon at joannevernon12@gmail.com.

· Alphonso Clark is 55.

The happy 2023 Pace Center for Girls Manatee grads include Kylie Lawson, Thekenyia Lang, Ashanti Robinson, Cadence Peterson and Sydney Vega.
The happy 2023 Pace Center for Girls Manatee grads include Kylie Lawson, Thekenyia Lang, Ashanti Robinson, Cadence Peterson and Sydney Vega.

· A bow to the 2023 graduating class from Pace Center for Girls Manatee. The young women are Thekenyia Lang, Kylie Lawson, Allison Jordan, Cadence Peterson, Janyris Rivera, Ashanti Robinson, Gabriella Rodrigues, Trinity Russell, Desiray Stalowski and Sydney Vega.

· Jodi Chrustowski is 39. Again.

· So is Mark Granstrand.

· And Angela Williams.

· Big ups to Activities Coordinator Jackie Davis, July Employee of the Month at Discovery Village at Sarasota Bay.

· Louis Murrell is 63.

· Welcome to Bradenton to Dr. Justin Fields, who has joined the Klement, Jungman, Varga and Troxler dental group. A Philly guy, he’s an alum of Syracuse University and Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry and comes here from the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

· Sean Tuttle is 38.

· Respect to both Patricia Hamilton and Sarah Cohawitz. The two Child Protective Services investigators are the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office June Employees of the Month for their patience, persistence and professionalism in ensuring the safety of two children, getting them away from a chronically dangerous situation at home involving domestic violence.

· And well done to Caddy Award winner Roger Salazar, Personal Care Services at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VIN MANNIX: Volunteers needed for Rotary Club's Books for Kids program