|
|
Greetings, Open Books fans!
The days are slowly getting longer, and walking outside
feels less and less like being trapped under a wet blanket. You're starting to locate your tweeds
and jackets from their summertime hiding place, and looking toward the
auburn-hued days to come.
This fall will be the biggest season ever in the history of
Open Books programming, and we will need the assistance of our entire network
to help our students thrive. If
you're ready to become a mentor, please sign up to read with students at one of our Buddies sites or to help high school juniors take the next step in VWrite. If you love to write, consider sharing your expertise with
students during an Adventures in Creative Writing field trip or by leading a Wordshop. If you can't volunteer, support us by purchasing books in
the bookstore or at the upcoming
Open Boxes Sale. Every dollar and hour you contribute makes books and reading
more fun and accessible for struggling readers in our city.
Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support,
Anna Piepmeyer
Open Books Program Director |
Fall Programs Preview!
We weren't lying when we said it's going to be an epic fall
season. Take a look at what we have in store in the coming months and how you
can serve students in Chicago!
 Open Books Buddies will launch at 10 elementary
schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school in neighborhoods all over
Chicago. Our core of enthusiastic
mentors and staff at each site will work one-on-one with struggling readers to
provide thousands of extra hours of
reading practice and new books to students who need it most. Want to be a Buddy? Sign up now and share your
infectious love of books with some of our young readers!
Note: we especially need volunteers at Irving
Park, Bronzeville, and Perspectives.
VWrite, our "virtual"
college and career preparedness program for high school juniors, will expand to 2 campuses this fall. This program is PERFECT for volunteers
with regular work schedules or who travel extensively, and is a remarkable
opportunity to help a high school student take that scary "next step" in the
right direction.
 Adventures in Creative Writing field trips are going strong all year long! These 2-hour nonfiction
workshops help students unleash their creativity and build the confidence to
share their stories and poems with their peers and teachers. As a writing
coach, you could help students discover their lifelong love of the written
word. Plus, where else do you get
to the world's coolest pencil costume?
These programs are just the beginning!
Stay tuned for more
information about special opportunities and new programs at Open Books...and be a part of this life-changing season!
|
Bookin' It For Literacy!
A very special group of Open Books supporters are wearing
their hearts on their sneakers and running the Chicago Half-Marathon & 5K in an
effort to raise money for literacy. With almost half of their $20,000
fundraising goal already met, the 45 passionate people who signed up to
participate will have much to celebrate come September 12.
And so could you!
It's not too late to be part of Team Bookin' It! Even Scoozi restaurant is joining in on the fun by sponsoring a pasta
dinner to be held on September 10, two days prior to the race.
Although Coach Kean Chew is quite sore from his extensive training, he's excited to watch Team Bookin'
It, runners sprint past the finish line. Check out some of their inspiring stories and join in the race for reading!
|
Save The Date!
Get your dancing shoes
ready and join us for Open Books' first annual fundraising extravaganza, The
Revelry: A Night Fair! This dramatic and dazzling night will feature fantastic food, amazing auctions, ecstatic entertainment, and dynamic dancing to the jazz and blues of the Flat Cats.
Tickets are on sale now...get yours today!
|
|
|
|
|
