Article Contributed on: 4/16/2009 7:56:33 AM
Volunteers of America celebrated National Library Week today by hosting an "I love to Read" literacy event at the Blair-Caldwell Public Library, located at 2401 Welton Street in Denver. Local celebrities
Ervin Johnson, ex-Nugget,
Rick Crandall, KEZW Radio, and
The Denver Post's own
William Porter read stories to over 100 low-income preschoolers and kindergartners.
The children were delighted as library mascot DJ Kitty helped Johnson read two stories, including
Little Raccoon and
What Will the Weather Be Like Today?. Rick Crandall read
An Extraordinary Egg and Porter had an enthusiastic audience member help him read
Pipo the Puma and
Moose's Loose Tooth.
At the end of the event, all the attendees were given a new book to take home. Books were distributed by high school aged volunteers from a Jackson School Program Action Team. Volunteer
Sha Moody gave the excited kids high fives while handing out books such as
Clifford the Big Red Dog and
Knuffle Bunny Too.
Larissa Crandall, a second grader who is organizing a book drive to provide more new books for future VOA literacy events, was also in attendance. Larissa rated
Moose's Loose Tooth as her favorite book of the day. "It is important that we continue to give books to kids who might never have one of their own," she said.
For more information on Volunteer's of America and their literacy program, please visit
www.voacolorado.org or dial 303-297-0408. For more pictures and video of the event, check out VOA on
Facebook.