Childers was transformed into a literary landscape yesterday as the community gathered to celebrate the 10th chapter of Childers Read to Me Day.
Around 350 children spent a magical morning celebrating books at 10 different reading stations across the Childers Main Street, Cultural Centre and Millennium Park.
Featuring live performances, colourful costumes and a host of reading volunteers, children followed a map to explore this year’s theme of ‘Pages through the Ages’.
Mayor Helen Blackburn joined in the fun and said it was wonderful to be celebrating the 10th annual Childers Read to Me Day event.
“Read to Me Day was started to encourage children to read and to encourage them to love reading,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“Council is really invested in making sure that young people are reading.
“We know that it’s so important for their learning and so important for their growth and if someone loves reading, they will be able to go ahead and learn, even on their own.
“Childers is such a wonderful community and I’m just so proud to be part of the entire region and to have Childers as part of that community.”
Childers Read to Me Day Committee Chairperson Judy Robertshaw said promoting early literacy had always been at the heart of the event.
“Children who are read to from aged eight and beyond, but particularly in those early years – it has such a significant impact on their literacy, their language acquisition and their communication.
“Statistics over the years have told us that if you read to a child four to five times a week, that will increase their learning potential seven times over.
“It just makes it easier so they can get on with the business of learning instead of struggling.”
Judy said she was grateful for the hard work from the committee, event sponsors and community organisations.
“If it wasn’t for Council, through the Childers Neighbourhood Centre and the Childers Library, and their in-kind support, we wouldn’t be able to run this event,” she said.
“I’m so very proud and grateful, [the committee is] just so resourceful, so masterful and they do it with great willingness and passion because they’re just as committed to the whole concept.
“We just want to see our kids fly!”
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