Rotary Clubs join forces to put books in hands of Ashland first-graders

The annual Ashland Reads “Celebration of Literacy” event will be held 9:25 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 3, at the Ashland High School Mountain Avenue Theater, 201 S. Mountain Ave., Ashland, according to a news release.

Presented by the Rotary Club of Ashland and Rotary Club of Ashland Lithia Springs, the event is for all first grade students in the Ashland School District. Earlier in the 2022-23 school year, five picture books were selected for the program, with first grade teachers reading the books to their students during the winter, asking them all to select their favorite title.

“What the children did not know was that they would be receiving that favorite book at the event in a specially designed book bag, along with other surprises,” the release said. Tree House gave a “generous discount” to purchase the books.

Attending students from Walker, Bellview and Helman elementary schools, and from TRAILS and Willow Wind, will be greeted by Ashland High School students and Rotarians in storybook costumes

The program will include music by Tish McFadden of the Rum Tum School of Music, who has written a special song, “Inside a Book,” for the event. Teacher Matt Damon will also do a reading of his book “The Fall of General Custard, or “The Overthrow of A Leftover.” Following the program, book bags will be distributed to the first grade students with their favorite book and special gifts donated by community partners inside. A barbecue lunch prepared by Ashland Fire & Rescue and the Ashland Police Department will follow.

All of the second and third grade students in the district will also receive summer reading books as a part of this project. Those books will be distributed to students before the school year ends.