By: Connie Ogle
Drinking wine, eating cheese, meeting local author Brad Meltzer — and helping kids learn to love books. What’s not to like about Read to a Child’s fund-raising event, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Books & Books in Coral Gables?
The South Florida chapter of the national organization is hosting the networking event to raise funds for its program, in which professionals meet students at school and read to them during the kids’ lunch hour.
So far, Read to a Child: South Florida works with about 40 kids at two local schools, the Coral Way K-8 Center in Miami and Pine Lake Elementary School in South Miami-Dade, but regional board chair Jose Romero said he hopes the program can expand.
“We want to be more like Boston, where they have over 1,000 kids participating,” he said.
At the event, Meltzer, host of TV’s Decoded and author of a children’s book series that includes I Am Rosa Parks, I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, will talk about his work.
“The concept here is simple: Read to a child. Good things will happen,” said Meltzer via email. “How could I possibly not support that? Our goal is to get more volunteers and put more books in the hands of children.”
Tickets cost $50. To purchase or for information about donating or volunteering, visit www.readtoachild.org. Books & Books is at 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables.