Reading Rally events are one of the ways EWI promotes literacy the community. Throughout the years Reading Rally events have made a difference in today’s youth across the nation.

EWI Mobile Chapter Reading Rally was held on February 23, 2010 at the Sybil Smith Family Village. This year’s Reading Rally took the place of our regular chapter meeting in an effort to get 100% participation from our members. Representatives met for a quick dinner at the Dew Drop Inn and then caravanned to the Shelter.
Representatives from our Chapter donated books, art supplies, DVDs and other goodies for the children. Additional books were donated to the Sybil Smith Family Village for use in their media center.

The children were very excited as they each selected books they would keep for their very own. The younger children were delighted to be read to while the older children enjoyed reading books to our volunteers. We ended the event with cupcakes and refreshments for all the children and their mothers and all the children were given book bags filled with books and supplies donated by members.

The Sybil H. Smith Family Village transitional housing program seeks to help homeless families establish and maintain self-sufficiency. The program combines transitional housing of up to 24 months with on-site support services to help overcome critical obstacles as well as referrals to other community agencies and institutions as needed to complete the self-sufficiency program.

~Michele Nelson