We had an incredible time in Austin last week, celebrating books with Reading Is Fundamental friends and volunteers.

We kicked off the trip with a wonderful discussion of the book “Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers.” Lynda Johnson Robb, a founding board member of RIF, shared her mother’s legacy along with Kathi Appelt and Joy Fisher Hein, who wrote and illustrated the book.

Luci Baines Johnson also praised Lynda’s longtime support of RIF, sharing an especially touching story about their mother as a child.

Miss Lady Bird lost her mother at an early age.  One day, her daddy, seeing she was sad, asked what he could do to help. She said, “No daddy, you can’t help. It’s OK.”

He pressed her more, asking if he could at least try. The child said, “Oh daddy, no, you can’t help. It’s just that I miss momma so much. And momma used to read to me. I really miss momma and reading.”

Her father responded, “Well, honey, I can read to you.”

The child stopped, shocked, and said with surprise, “Daddy, you can read?”

Even at that young age, Miss Lady Bird couldn’t understand why someone who could read wouldn’t be reading all the time.

The legacy of the Johnson family is large in Austin and it was at the LBJ Library that the next event was held. At a Book People Unite celebration, families met authors Chris Barton, Cynthia Leitich Smith and Tim Tingle, who all have books in RIF’s Multicultural Book Collections. Curious George joined the festivities, as did Kay Gooch, one of RIF’s Volunteer of the Year Award recipients. Parents and kids from Kay’s school, Gullett Elementary, and the families from the Book Spring program, which runs the RIF program in the city, had a great time.

The trip was capped off with a very special book distribution at Campbell Elementary School, a school where 94 percent of the children come from economically disadvantaged homes. Children were treated to a special “trip” where they boarded a magical cardboard airplane – complete with window seats and belt buckles – took a flight to pick out their books. Librarian Sherry Rojas and Book Spring’s Jill Gonzalez made it a memorable adventure for the children – and for the RIF staff in who joined them on their journey.

The entire trip was made possible thanks to RIF’s longtime partnership with Macy’s. Stay tuned for ways you can support our partnership this summer!

Photo, left to right: Kay Gooch, Kathi Appelt, Lynda Johnson Robb, Joy Fisher Hein; photo by: Jack Plunkett/AP Images for Reading Is Fundamental

Books are more than words on a page. For kids, they can be keys not only to a world of possibilities but they can bring them closer to their own world.

Sara Massey knows this. One of her most memorable moments was reading to two little girls – maybe 6- or 7 years old. Storytime was a luxury for them and they likely didn’t have books at home until RIF entered their lives.

As she began to read to them, one snuggled up close to her and Sara remarked, “Wow, you really like to cuddle, don’t you?” The girls looked back at her and asked, “What’s ‘cuddle?’”

For Sara, that moment represented the importance of reading and books – the power of books in people’s lives.

Inspired by this interaction, Sara created reading events that bringing parents, children, and teachers together—often for the first time.

She told RIF that in each school where these programs were held, the schools continued them every year since because it was so enriching.  

As the President of Communities in Schools in Greater New Orleans, Sara was there in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She took on the incredible challenge of replacing the books lost to the devastation.

With the help of RIF, Sara provided thousands of high-quality, brand new books to the children she serves. Sara goes to work every day knowing she has a chance to add value in a child’s life.

What an awesome outlook on life, Sara. Congratulations on being chosen as one of RIF’s 2013 Volunteers of the Year.

Linda and two other award recipients — Kay Gooch of Austin and Linda Placzek of Omaha— will receive their awards May 9, 2013, at RIF’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Gala Celebration. 

Photo Source: Tulane Public Relations 

Progress is at the heart of Linda Placzek’s work. She’s dedicated herself to helping children become more confident in their reading — and what an impact she has had.

Linda was working with a child last year who was having a difficult time reading. She reassured him and gave him a challenge – read every day over the summer. With a little practice, she said, what would be difficult today would be a breeze tomorrow. When he came back in the fall, he read to her like he’d been excelling at reading from the start.

As a retired elementary school principal, Linda knows how important it is to help young kids become strong readers.

So when she retired seven years ago, she really didn’t stop working. Instead, Linda teamed up with the Kiwanis volunteers who had been helping get RIF books to children in her school since the early ‘90s.

Linda saw the Kiwanis in her school and the joy they’d bring to our children. And, most importantly, the difference it would make to the students’ passion for reading. Linda decided that she wanted to be a part of that on the volunteer side.

Since she’s been leading her local Kiwanis, Linda has accomplished a great many things, most notable are the more than 6,000 books that have been distributed to Omaha’s Conestoga Magnet School since her retirement.

But Linda hasn’t stopped there. She’s recruited 15 Kiwanians to read with students at Conestoga Elementary every week.

Linda’s work has been a game-changer for so many children in the Omaha area, but she insists that the Kiwanis members involved in her projects get just as much out of it as the kids do. The work “fills their bucket,” she explains.

On behalf of all the kids whose lives have been changed through her work, thank you, Linda! And congratulations on being chosen as one of RIF’s 2013 Volunteers of the Year.

Linda and two other award recipients — Sara Massey of New Orleans and Kay Gooch of Austin — will receive their awards May 9, 2013, at RIF’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Gala Celebration. 

Photo Source: Alex Ragon 

With hundreds of kids surrounding her, Librarian Kay Gooch carts a bookcase full of favorite books onto the stage. The kids in front of her recognize the books. They have many of the same at home. They love these books – from “Fox in Socks” to “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”

Kay then pulls out an almost empty bookcase, just two or three tattered covers. Old and unwanted books. She goes on to explain that for the kids their age living in low-income neighborhoods just across town, these are their bookshelves. 

They get it immediately.

This powerful visualization is the kickoff to what’s become an annual fundraiser for Austin-based Reading Is Fundamental programs – with Kay’s students helping raise more than $135,000 in just seven years.

Kay credits a community of readers with the program’s success – whether it’s the family members and friends who pledge a nickel or dime for every page a student reads, or it’s the community sponsors whose incentives add excitement to the experience.

Like many of us, Kay remembers Reading Is Fundamental from her childhood. Her mother volunteered for more than 20 years. So when Kay’s school joined a RIF Read-A-Thon years ago, Kay gladly took the lead.  Her impact on children in underserved communities in Austin has been profound.

The staff at BookSpring, which runs the RIF program benefited by the Read-A-Thon, says Kay’s passion and enthusiasm have been the hallmark of the program’s success. For her incredible contributions, Kay is one of RIF’s 2013 Volunteers of the Year. Thank you, Kay.

Kay and two other award recipients — Sara Massey of New Orleans and Linda Placzek of Omaha, Neb. — will receive their awards May 9, 2013, at RIF’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Gala Celebration.