Brandy and Val

IF YOU LIVE IN CHICAGO YOU MUST VISIT OPEN BOOKS.  This past weekend we were excited to be a part of the opening weekend festivities at Open Books Bookstore, an arm of Open Books whose mission it is to promote literacy programs for adults and children throughout the Chicago area.  This amazing organization has amassed a collection, through donations, of over 175,000 books!  The store is bright, cheerful and inviting and the electricity and enthusiasm of the staff is highly contagious.  Brandy, Val and I were thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be on hand where I read our books while Brandy and Val worked the crowd (I believe someone called them charming!).   The staff is so erudite and literate, I’m intimidated to continue writing…..

But I will because there is so much good stuff going on there that everyone needs to know and get involved.  With 20% of adults being unable to read above the 5th grade level, and with minority high school dropout rates on the rise, we have a national crisis on our hands and the tide must be stemmed.   Open Books’ programs include buddy reading with elementary school children, creative and professional writing workshops for children and adults and they even have a virtual writing program where students and volunteers coordinate their writing efforts online.  Volunteering opportunities abound throughout the City either on a regular or event only basis.  They have even partnered up with a popular program that involves bringing dogs to school.  Brandy and Val have experience with that —  surely 2 thumbs up if they had thumbs.    Having been involved with reading, literacy and tutor/mentoring programs for over 20 years, I don’t know I missed hearing about Open Books until now.  I can’t wait to start volunteering with them in some way.

OH, and they have T-shirts in great colors.