MLK Center plans read-a-thon benefit
The Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center’s Summer Youth Academy is hosting its annual 24 hour Read-a-Thon at the center, 845 S. Sherman St., this week.
A promotion for literacy, the event will begin Friday at 1 p.m., ending July30 at 1 p.m.
In addition, pledges and donations will be accepted for the center from Monday through Aug. 2. Participants can pledge 5, 10 or 15 cents per book either read by a child or read to a child.
Freda Gandy, program director for the center, has set a goal of 600 books to be read during the benefit.
She said, “Literacy is functional, meaningful, and authentic. It is not a set of abstract, isolated skills to be learned. Literacy is used to get things done.”
Visit the center or call 455-8722 to request a pledge form or to make a donation.
The goal of the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center is to improve the quality of life for children, youths and families by using King’s vision of equal respect, treatments and accessibility for all people as a guideline.
The center offers various educational and social services to reach this goal.
The center’s Summer Youth Academy is for children 3½ to 12 years of age, and is designed to build self-esteem, promote diversity, cultural awareness and literacy. The nine-week structured summer program offers a variety of activities through recreational and community services projects.
March of Dimes events
The March of Dimes is looking for participants for its Jail and Bail event Aug. 25.
Individuals will be mock arrested, charged with humorous crimes, and sentenced to raise bail from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel.
Bail money will benefit the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of birth defects and infant mortality.
Registration is required by visiting www.marchofdimes.com/washington.
Call 328-1920 or send e-mail to lkaley@marchofdimes.com, for more information on the event.
The Washington Chapter of the March of Dimes is also seeking grant proposals for the 2006 Community Grants Program.
The group will award $118,000 to grantees across the state in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
To be considered, an application must meet one of the following guidelines and be related to maternal and child health: increasing access to and quality of health care for women and infants; increasing availability of prevention services; or increasing availability of genetics services and folic acid education.
Interested groups or individuals need to send a letter of intent no later than Aug. 26.
Visit the Web site www.marchofdimes.com/washington or call Cherish Hart at (800) 291-3463 for more information on how to apply.
Gardens receive donation
The WOW (Way Out West) Group, made up of select Inland Northwest Longaberger Independent Home Consultants, recently donated the proceeds from its Spring Fling to the Heritage Gardens of the Corbin House.
The donation will be used to preserve the grounds of the historic Spokane site.