Reading is
Doctor-Recommended

Reach Out and Read South Carolina is part of the nationwide Reach Out and Read organization.

2010 Literacy Week a Success!

2010 Literacy week started with a bang at the 2nd Annual Charleston SC Read and Romp Event! Children traveled through the pages of their favorite books with activities and games. Read and Romp Charleston was a great success due to the support of strong community partners like MUSC, Charleston County Public Libraries, Wellness Center, volunteers, local authors, event planning committee, and sponsors. We would like to say a special thank you to the event sponsors: MUSC, Piggly Wiggly, and the Exchange Club of Charleston. Read and Romp Charleston raised more than $6500 to support the Reach Out and Read programs at MUSC, and we are grateful to everyone who made this event a success.

On Tuesday May 4th Chick-fil-A in West Columbia hosted a Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast where we celebrated ROR and awarded the 2010 ROR-SC Site of the Year Award to Palmetto Pediatrics in Aiken, SC. Brandi Cummings, WIS news, was emcee, and the Chick Fil A cow gave out copies of Green Eggs and Ham to children in the restaurant. Congratulations to Karalee Kludzuweit and all staff and providers at Palmetto Pediatrics for making such a difference in the lives of children in Aiken SC and THANK YOU to Chick Fil A in West Columbia for their support and for hosting this fantastic event.

The Chick-fil-A stores in Seneca and Clemson helped us celebrate the week by hosing a Mommy and Me Reading Event with Cat in the Hat reading Green, Eggs and Ham. For each new or gently used preschool age book to donated to ROR on Tuesday May 4th Chick-fil-A gave a coupon for a free kid's meal. Both Seneca and Clemson locations accepted book donations on behalf of Reach Out and Read throughout the entire week and over 50 books were collected! All books collected at the Seneca location support Oconee Pediatrics and Blue Ridge Pediatrics.

On Wednesday, May 5th, Stan Hickson, VP at Palmetto Health Richland, joined us at the Children's Hospital Outpatient Center to share books with children in the literacy-friendly waiting area. Volunteers reading with children in the waiting room is one way to model to parents how they can read with their children at home, and an important element of the ROR program model. After Mr Hickson read to children in the waiting are he joined other event guests on a tour of the ROR site. Dr. Julie Ballance and volunteer Sallie Prugh shared the inner workings of the ROR program with our visitors and demonstrated how ROR is integrated into standard well-care.

The three midlands location of Love Automotive participated in a ROR book drive the week of May 3rd. The two location in Harbison (Love Chevrolet and Saturn) and the location on Knox Abbott together collected over 145 books for Reach Out and Read SC. We thank the patrons and employees of these locations for their generosity.

On Saturday, May 8th Dr. and Mrs. Warren Derrick, Distinguished Professor Emeritus - USC School of Medicine, and a long-time supporter of Reach Out and Read hosted a garden party to benefit the program. THANK YOU to everyone for their commitment to making books part of a healthy childhood for children in South Carolina.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make Reach Out and Read 2010 Literacy Week a great success as we work to serve all children in South Carolina.