There’s no shortage of TV shows and video games to keep children occupied. But during the week of Feb. 14, Read To Succeed celebrated alternatives to keeping children, and adults, entertained without electronics.
The Nashville Predators and Lamar Advertising partnered with Read To Succeed for UNPLUG & Read, a community-wide initiative that encourages adults, families and children to turn off the TV and put down the PlayStation controller and turn to the pleasure of reading.
For the fourth year, local businesses and organizations took a week in February to help families unplug with reading-centric events.
Executive director Ronni Shaw said that UNPLUG and Read has become one of Read To Succeed’s most popular promotional events.
“All we really want,” Shaw said, “is for people to enjoy reading. Families taking a break from the usual hustle and bustle to open a book, is like a little gift in the middle of the week. ”
More and more local non-profits and businesses got involved this year creating UNPLUG events. And this, according to Shaw, shows that Rutherford County is a community where literacy matters.
Linebaugh Library kicked off the week on Valentine’s Day to offer patrons the opportunity to unplug by offering board games, cards and jigsaw puzzles.
Librarian Patty Metcalf said Linebaugh was the perfect place to kick off the week.
“People got to really enjoy spending time at the library, both with games and reading,” Metcalf said. “Any time we have an opportunity to promote reading, that’s important.”
Discovery Center took advantage of the President’s Day school holiday to help students enjoy being unplugged. The Center held a drawing for books and encouraged reading about US Presidents. Special activities were planned.
Northfield Elementary students were asked to bring their favorite books to school to celebrate UNPLUG and Read. Mayor Tommy Bragg visited during a special afternoon event to show his support for literacy activities and to read to the children.
“Reading to children is one of the most enjoyable tasks I undertake as Mayor. I try to bring each story to life, to make each child feel as though I am reading just to them. The enjoyment they share with me is the great reward for reading to children,” Bragg said.
“Read To Succeed creates many literacy programs for Rutherford County, but it is always our large events to promote literacy, like Reading in the Schools Day, Reading Rally, UNPLUG and Read, and One Book that seem to create a lot of excitement. We hope families and classrooms who unplugged last week, will continue to increase the time they spend reading. Adults looking for a good book to read, might try The Soloist by Steve Lopez, since it is this year’s One Book Community Read. Whatever people are reading, we are happy at Read To Succeed,” said Shaw.
Read To Succeed, the community literacy collaborative in Rutherford County, will promote reading, with an emphasis on family literacy. This nonprofit initiative supports literacy programs and fosters awareness of the importance of reading. Please visit www.readtosucceed.org
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