Written by Denise Gary
Kids Need to Read has been busy planning a fun-filled family festival designed to celebrate literacy, physical fitness, and appreciation for our natural environment, all with a focus on kids. It is the first annual Kids Need to Read HIKRZ Jamboree, presented by GoDaddy.com and hosted by members of the KNTR HIKRZ (Hikers Inspiring Kids to Read Zealously), a group dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Kids Need to Read through their love of hiking.
Join us at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa, Arizona for food, family entertainment, trail activities, storytelling authors, prize giveaways for kids (provided by Best Buy, REI, Wild Birds Unlimited, Target, and many other stores), free goodie backpacks filled with loot, free books for kids provided by Changing Hands Bookstore, and free Highlights magazines donated by Highlights for Children, Inc. Trail snacks are being provided by Whole Foods Market Chandler, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, and other community stores. Authors scheduled to participate are PJ Haarsma, Steven Riley, Janette Rallison, Brooke Bessesen, Tom Leveen, and Chris Gall.
Share in our glee as we force our non-hiking founding author, PJ Haarsma (The Softwire Series), out on the trail and up to the top of Pass Mountain in The Haarsma-thon! We are collecting online pledges to benefit our foundation in return for his suffering, so out-of-town supporters can participate in the fun, too.
Tom Leveen, author of Party, will join PJ in hiking for pledges to benefit Kids Need to Read during The Leveen Party-thon. Tom is a huge supporter of our foundation, always willing to do what he can to help KNTR provide more books for kids. He is sure to make the hike up Wind Cave Trail a “party” for all.
Event participants can help support Kids Need to Read by collecting pledges and hiking on the foundation’s behalf, but it is not a requirement to come out and enjoy the day. Attendees are encouraged to register online in advance, as space is limited. All proceeds will benefit Kids Need to Read.
Kids Need to Read HIKRZ Jamboree
Saturday, November 6, 2010
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Usery Mountain Regional Park
3939 North Usery Pass Road
Mesa, Arizona 85207
Find more information and register:
http://www.kidsneedtoread.org/hikrz_jamboree.html
Support The Haarsma-thon:
http://www.kidsneedtoread.org/haarsmathon.html
Support The Leveen Party-thon:
http://www.kidsneedtoread.org/leveen_partython.html
We are grateful to the following sponsors who have enthusiastically embraced this event in support of childhood literacy and environmental stewardship.
Olympian
GoDaddy.com
Hero
Changing Hands Bookstore
Highlights for Children, Inc.
Whole Foods Market — Chandler
Champion
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market
Usery Mountain Regional Park
Teammate
Affordable Party and Event Rentals
Albertsons — Red Mountain
Albertsons — Power/Broadway
Albertsons — Val Vista
Baskin-Robbins — Mesa Main
Best Buy — Superstition Springs
Big Brain Pictures
Chilero’s Mexican Grill
Devita Natural Skin Care Company
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Fry’s Food Stores
IAGmedia, Inc.
Jen Mays
Lowe’s — Apache Junction
Lowe’s — East Mesa
Office Max — Springs Power Center
Phoenix Comicon
REI — Tempe
Sprouts — Higley/Southern
Staples — Hampton Center
Target — Mesa West
Target — Tempe NE
Target — Mesa Red Mountain
Target — Peoria North
Trader Joe’s — Mesa
Wild Birds Unlimited — Mesa
