On Wednesday 6 September, Craig and Susan Howlett went along to Paint the Highway REaD’s Annual Reading Day event at the Mills Park Centre in Beckenham. And what a wonderfully joyous occasion it was, too, with much singing, dancing, art and craft taking place, along with reading and storytelling. Taking centre stage, of course, was the story-reading team led by Maxine and the Possum triplets.
Last Community Grants night, our club awarded the team with funds to purchase a portable PA system, put to excellent use at this event. Maxine thanked us publicly for our support, quipping that it was so much better not to have to ‘shout our stories.’
Paint the Highway REaD is a local version of the Paint the Town REaD campaign, which encourages communities to read, talk, sing and rhyme to babies and young children. It’s run by a collection of volunteers and representatives from local councils, libraries, education services, ‘not-for-profits’, and community groups, of the Armadale, Gosnells and Canning areas.
As part of the campaign, the REaD volunteers visit libraries, schools, shopping centres and playgroups in the area, conducting reading, singing and play sessions to stimulate literacy and a love of reading.
