Happy Friday, Readers!

What an incredible October Reading Club we had! A whopping 224 volunteers read some thrilling Halloween-themed books to 553 eager kids. In addition, 27 dedicated teachers, administrators, and parent helpers from the schools volunteered their time to help the reading clubs run as smoothly as possible. Please click here for a list of our October volunteers.

Make sure to sign up for the November 12th Reading Clubs soon by clicking here to RSVP! With College Spirit Day on tap for next month, the volunteer positions will fill up very fast. Don't miss out!

Annual Fund Drive Update

The 2005 Annual Fund Drive, which ends at the November 12th reading clubs, has now passed the half-way point.

THANK YOU to those who have already sent in contributions! New checks are arriving every day, and whether they are for $10 or $1000, these donations play a crucial role in helping us work toward inspiring underserved children with a love of reading.

So far, we have received donations and pledges totaling about $13,000 from 128 different donors. However, we are still a long way from our goal of raising $25,000, and we will really need your help in these final few weeks.

Your donation, whatever the size, MATTERS! A gift of $10 can provide half a dozen children with their own softcover book to add to their home libraries. In addition, your donation increases the size of our individual donor pool, which is favorably viewed by potential funding organizations as an indication of broad community support.

So please, help us make this year's Annual Fund Drive a success. As someone who has expressed a strong interest in our program by subscribing to these e-mails, you are one of our strongest advocates--please let your friends and family know how they can make a huge difference in the community, and please consider making your own donation to Reading to Kids.

Donating is easy. Simply make your check out to Reading to Kids and mail it to our office:

   Reading to Kids
   1600 Sawtelle Boulevard, Suite 210
   Los Angeles, CA 90025

If you prefer to donate by credit card, you may do so at http://readingtokids.org/Donations/index.html. (Please note that our credit card processing company deducts a 3% fee from online donations.)

College Spirit Day!

November is college football rivalry month, and in the spirit of healthy rivalries (including the big crosstown "feud" between UCLA and USC), our November reading clubs will once again feature a fun "College Spirit Day" competition.

Students and alumni are encouraged to wear their school's (or their favorite school's) t-shirts or sweatshirts. The school represented by the most volunteers will be crowned the grand champion of the 2005 Reading to Kids college face-off and earn bragging rights for the year. But most importantly, the kids will see the volunteers' school pride and the value of a college education.

For most of the kids who attend the reading clubs, if they go to college, they will be the first in their families to do so. According to the teachers and administrators at the schools, the kids who begin thinking about college early on are more likely to end up there. Exposure to college students and college alumni is a great way to get the kids thinking about their academic futures. So, show your school pride and make a positive impact that may last a lifetime!

Please check out the coverage of last year's event by clicking here to view the article in UCLA's The Daily Bruin and by clicking here to view the article in USC's The Daily Trojan.

Thanks for your amazing support!

Best,

Karrah Lompa
Program Director
Reading to Kids
1600 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 210
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 479-7455
(310) 479-7435 (FAX)
Karrah.Lompa@readingtokids.org