It was a cornucopia of ice cream, face painting, characters and magic by a performer from “America’s Got Talent” for children ages 3-12 who took part in the SummerREAD Stars Celebration Party on Tuesday. The event celebrated the finale of the Mission Viejo Library’s SummerREAD program, which saw a 20 percent increase in participation from last year.
Roughly 3,400 children registered for the program that is designed to encourage reading and trips to the library. More than 1,200 youngsters completed the 6-week program and spent more than 14,000 hours reading. This year’s program raised the library’s July 2009 circulation to more than 93,000 items.
Throughout SummerREAD, which ended Monday, children received weekly prizes and incentives from an array of sponsors. Teen volunteers also lent a hand by registering participants and passing out prizes.
The City is grateful to the volunteers and sponsors, which include the Friends of the Mission Viejo Library; Skimmer’s Panini Grill; Saddleback Lanes; Target; Wienerschnitzel; Carl’s Jr.; Legoland; Outback Steakhouse; Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing Company; Wal-Mart; Claim Jumper; Hometown Buffet; Cal Elite Center; Ashley Force; McDonald’s; Chili’s; and Dr. Sam Veshkini of the Advanced Orthodontic Center.
For more information about library programs, visit the City’s Web site at http://cityofmissionviejo.org or call 949-830-7100, extension 5107. The Mission Viejo Library is located at 100 Civic Center.
What a wonderful way to spread the news of upcoming events and highlight the success of the activities in Mission Viejo! We are all so blessed to live in such a wonderful city with such dedicated volunteers and a great city government. I will watch the “Official Blog” carefuly for news and upcoming events.
Thank you all for your hard work.
Janet Alexander