1st Annual Road to Reading Slated Success in Leitchfield

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(Leitchfield, KY) – It was like trick-or-treating except for books Thursday night in Leitchfield as families used a road map to drive to four local destinations to hear a live reading and receive free copies of the book.

Read Across America was celebrated on March 2 nationally, and continued to be celebrated in Grayson County Schools for the entire week. This year a new public event was added to the menu for Grayson County children: Road to Reading.  The Grayson Co. Health Department created the event after their new director, Josh Embry, shared a desire to be more involved in the community in new creative ways.

This creative strategy led Jenny Cummings, GC Health Department HANDS representative, to coordinate and lead the event to success with Rebekah Lee, GC Health Department Nurse. Cummings said the objective was to invite the community into several places throughout Leitchfield and introduce the families to their various services while also creating a family event involving the Read Across America theme.

Cummings was thrilled that 103 children, 78 adults and seven local establishments participated. “I am already thinking of ways to improve it next year and how to do it better, ” proclaimed Cummings, as she called the event a “group effort” on everyone’s behalf who participated.

The Road to Reading began at the Centre on Main in Leitchfield, where families were registered and given a tote bag along with a road map. The map (seven uniquely different maps were created to keep things moving swiftly and smoothly) led the families to four locations where they were met with community members reading a book to the children before distributing a free book to each child.  The fifth stop along the way was the Grayson County Public Library where the families received a fifth free book, snacks and door prizes.

Participants included: GC Health Department, GC Extension Services, GC Schools, First Baptist Leitchfield, Carter Harrell State Farm, GC Public Library, Centre on Main, GC Alliance, and ECIS (Early Childhood Intervention Services), and Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center.