Strongsville kids get free books from Kiwanis Read Around the World event

By Tara Quinn, Sun News
Published: March 3, 2010 in Cleveland.com
http://www.cleveland.com/sunstarcourier/index.ssf/2010/03/strongsville_kids_get_free_boo.html

STRONGSVILLE, OHIO - Despite the nasty weather Saturday, many children showed up at the Cuyahoga County Public Library Strongsville branch to get a book and have fun with the "big kids."

The Kiwanis Club of Strongsville, the Key Club and two Kiwanis Builders Clubs, in conjunction with the library, gave the children the opportunity to fall in love with books at the Read Around the World event.

Read Around the World is a Kiwanis International project promoting a love of reading from an early age. "We believe every child should experience the joys of reading," said Ann Boehnke, editor of the Kiwanis Club of Strongsville newsletter. "This is a fun project for our clubs to participate in and we benefit by seeing the enjoyment the children get selecting a book to take home. It's fun to watch as they clutch a book to their chest and proclaim, ‘This is my book.'"

Students from the Sts. Joseph and John School Builders Club performed a puppet show and students from Center Middle School's Builders Club did face painting.

"While the puppet show and face-painting activities are popular, our major focus is on helping the children select a book from the array we have displayed and then reading it to them," Boehnke said. "Members from our Kiwanis Club, Key Club and both Builders Clubs read to the children. We encourage the children's parents to sit down and read to their kids during this time and many do."

Tim Protiva, head children's librarian at the Strongsville Library looks forward to the program every year. "I think it's nice when the community can see two organizations working together in the community," he said.

The Kiwanis Club of Strongsville is also involved in several community projects including the flags around the Strongsville Town Square, the annual golf outing, the Polaris Family Fun Fair and the Memory Bag Project for Strongsville School children who have lost an immediate family member. The members have supplied full pencil boxes and supplies for local needy kindergartners and children in Iraq and support local boy/girl scout troops. The organization also sponsors scholarships for graduating seniors from Strongsville High School and local youth activities.