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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:15 am |
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Will Hare, Orange Elks Grant Committee Chairman asked Trace Weatherford if she'd be interested in writing an application for the ENF Impact Grant. Will knew of her passion for books and reading and thought she would relish the chance to channel that passion into something great. She wrote a draft in September of 2015 and put a committee together for The Reading Promise! In October they learned that the Orange Elks Lodge #1475 received the full $10,000 grant!
You might be asking, what is The Reading Promise!? As the name suggests...it’s a promise. A promise to put a brand new book into the hands of an at-risk/low-income child in our community so that in turn they "promise" to read and cherish it. The Reading Promise! posits that by handing out new books at a festival; where the children are surrounded by engaging and interactive education and entertainment, they are more likely to perceive reading as enjoyment rather than a chore. So just this past Sunday, May 15th at the Orange Public Library, the pilot event took place. The goal for this bi-annual book festival was to target Kindergarten through 4th graders at all twelve Title 1 Elementary Schools in the Orange Unified School District (schools that receive extra government funding because of the high percentage of lower income kids). Irma Morales, Library Director of Children Services, worked closely with the Orange Elks committee and agreed to open the Library on a Sunday exclusively for this event. With the full run of the library they were able to host things like an Elks Volunteer Reading Theater, children-oriented performers/entertainers, free library card sign-ups, areas for kids to read books to therapy dogs, character-actor readers, and much more.
The Reading Promise! didn't do it alone, as teamwork was in maximum display on Sunday with a wide array of community partners who showed up to the event to provide valuable information and free services to attendees: PBS SOCAL (helping parent’s encourage math and literature at home), New York Life (free children’s ID cards), OC Grip (award-winning gang reduction group), Read Conmigo sponsored by Infinity Auto Group, DreamShapers who sang and danced with the children, Kiwanis Club of Orange, PicMe Entertainment, Tackett’s Patriotic Service Dog Foundation Service Dogs...just to name a few.
The Reading Promise is a spectacular example of how the Orange Elks Lodge give their time, treasure, talent and teamwork to hold an event. From the 60+ Elks who volunteered their time, to the Elk members who helped raise additional moneys to provide over 1,400 new books and tote bags, to the sheer talent and enthusiasm of the Elk committee members who brought a singular idea to a successful and brilliant conclusion. While the final number has yet to be tallied, there were easily 150 elementary school kids and at least another 100 family members in attendance. This far exceeded the groups wildest hopes for the pilot event.
At it’s core The Reading Promise! believes that by placing a brand new book into the hands of a child who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to own one, is like planting a seed…a seed that will blossom into a lifelong love of reading. A book is a portable magic. It gives us access to other worlds, people and adventure. It has the ability to transport our spirit and transform our minds. The Reading Promise! wants only to ensure that the children in our community have the opportunity to come along for the ride. And every committee member and every volunteer, without hesitation and unanimously, all agreed to be a part of the next event come September.
The back pack and a book
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| Post Number: 2
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:16 am |
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Our Community Partners
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| Post Number: 3
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:17 am |
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Irma, Trace and Will
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| Post Number: 4
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:18 am |
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Signing in over two hundred guests
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| Post Number: 5
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:18 am |
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Pic Me Entertainment Characters
L – R Ariel, Elsa and Princess Leia
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| Post Number: 6
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:19 am |
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Reading books with the Tackett Service dogs
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| Post Number: 7
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:20 am |
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Nicole and Katelynn Tran
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| Post Number: 8
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:21 am |
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The Vaientin’s
L – R Alonso, Nancy, Lillian and Angel
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| Post Number: 9
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:24 am |
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Elroy, Rosie & Ariel
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| Post Number: 10
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Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: May 17 2016,9:28 am |
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Esplanade Elementary Principal, Irene Precado
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