I want to thank all of our members who assisted in any way to make my President’s Project an overwhelming success.  The Gift of Literacy event took place on April 26 when 280 first-graders from all the elementary schools in South Lake Tahoe and Zephyr Cove Elementary School gathered at Lake Tahoe Community College for an introduction to the college including a visit to the Biology Lab where they put together bones to make a human skeleton, a visit to the Library where they did a short writing assignment (What I like most about the Library?) and story time when they were read one or two books.  The highlight of the day was a presentation by children’s book illustrator Rafael Lopez who entertained the kids on the ukulele, singing and drawing.  Kids, teachers and volunteers all seemed to have a great time! Each of the kids received a backpack full of goodies donated to us and a new hardcover book with a label that included their name.  For some of these children, this is the first new hardcover book they have ever had.

In particular, I want to thank the following people:

Rose Marie Ottman for taking the lead on obtaining donations for the backpacks

Roberta Mason for her generous monetary donation to the project

Cindy Archer, Rose Marie Ottman, Peggy Blowney, Chandler Monroe and Pat Disney for their monetary donations to the project

Jenn Lukins, of Lukins Brothers Water Co., for the donation of items for the backpacks

Pat Disney for all her help gathering donations and organizing our “fill the backpacks” meeting

All of our members who helped fill the backpacks, label the books and put them in the backpacks

All of our members who volunteered at the event including Lee Moisio, Roberta Mason and Aletha Nelligan (readers); Donna Sohan and Cindy Archer (guides); Natasha Schue Louisa Boone, Pat Disney, Velma Schnoll, and Carolyn Meiers (set-up and student seating); and Natasha Schue, Rose Marie Ottman, Peggy Blowney, Ellen Palazzo, Mickey Madden and Vicki Gonzales (lunch supervisors).

The event was a huge success and I hope our club will consider continuing to support it in the future.