Phoenix Escorts

RUNNING FOR LITERACY  - PHOENIX         

At five o'clock in the morning, the sun hasn't yet risen on Phoenix, Arizona. Every so often, peacocks call out to the darkness--theirs is the only sound that breaks the silence. Alone, Jerri Horning quietly peers across the lawn of the Glendale Public Library, not wanting to disturb the serenity. She smiles, thinking of the 700 runners who will soon stretch out on the grass and join the din of peacocks with morning chatter.

But the silence won't last long--not with so much to do. The volunteers soon arrive, bringing water, fruit, newspapers, tarps, tables, stopwatches, and more. They quickly set up the race course as Homing points here and there. It isn't long until the call of "Ready, set, run!"--or for the Phoenix West Reading Council, "Ready, set, read!"

Every year for the past 10 years, the Phoenix West Reading Council has held its annual Run for Literacy. Under Horning's leadership, the fundraiser has burgeoned from grossing US $700 in 1996 to US $5,000 in 2005, all to provide Arizona teachers with grants for classroom literacy projects.

The council's efforts have brought in partnerships with authors, local businesses, community organizations, and Borders Books and Music and Scholastic, Inc., both of which donate enough books so that each child and adult participant can take one home. This year, Run for Literacy won third place in IRA's Local Council Community Service Award.

The day is divided into four events: the 5k run, 5k walk, 1-mile fun run, and Horning's favorite, the kids' 50-yard dash. Both children and adults raise money or pay a fee to participate in the event.

On race day, they're rewarded with a T-shirt, goodie bag, snacks, and the most popular treat of all--a voucher to take to the book table and collect their book of choice.

"I love the joy on the faces of the children running the 50-yard dash, then watching the children become engrossed in the book they've just chosen after completing their race," Horning says. "I just love to see them go under a tree and start reading a book. It's all about the kids and the parents sharing literature and literacy together and loving reading."

The benefits of the event carry on long after the run is over. The program's impact reaches into classrooms across Arizona, where several teachers are awarded US $200 grants to purchase books and materials for reading projects.

 Last year, the council received 280 grant requests in response to fliers sent to schools. While not every request can be met, more than US $32,000 has been donated to 232 classroom projects over the past decade, not counting this year's results.

With proceeds from Run for Literacy, one teacher bought wordless picture books so her students could create their own stories. Another used her grant to buy books about diversity and tolerance to enhance her fifth-grade lessons in American history. The council also donated funds to the Mesa Juvenile Detention Center in Arizona for the purchase of books in the Harry Potter and Bunnicula series. 

What makes the event so valuable, Horning says, is not solely the council's opportunity to give to the community. It's more about the community's chance to give to itself--for everyone from the youngest runner to the busiest business-person understands how his or her individual efforts combine with others to give thousands of students a better chance of success.

"There are so many partnerships we can form, and it's really important to keep that going," Horning said. "We don't do this for the accolades, but when we do get a pat on the back we feel so elated because it's so worthwhile. It just gives us that support to keep going another 10 years."