Thank you, Texas!
May 5th, 2008
Elena B.
Lyle Lovett immortalized the Texas spirit with a wonderful ditty whose lyrics include, ” That’s right you’re not from Texas, But Texas wants you anyway”. He’s not kidding! Stepping into the Lone Star State, you can feel the hospitality and open arms of Texans all along your route. Last week, two wonderful colleagues and I embarked on a Texas-size itinerary in a D.C.-size timeframe. We had just three days to visit three cities, run back-to-back “Meet and Greets”, and- because we go big or we go home- host an event with First Lady Laura Bush and First Daughter Jenna Bush.
We owe many thanks to the people of Texas but want to take a moment to highlight some of the week’s superstars:
First Lady Laura Bush and Jenna Bush: As educators, these women turned their experiences into a delightful book, Read All About It! Students from Kate Bell Elementary (and staff, too) sat rapt as they read about class clown Tyrone and his realization that reading is actually pretty fun. Both women were in their element as they took questions and talked about the importance of reading. Afterwards, each child got to meet the First Lady and Jenna as they received their own copy of the book! This was truly a special event and left the students with wonderful memories to cherish.
HarperCollins Children’s Books: We are delighted that our long time publishing partner, HarperCollins, has made an incredibly generous donation of $1 million of books to First Book for distribution to programs across the country! Their continued support ensures that we bring the joy of reading to children every day.
Kate Bell Elementary Staff and Students: Principal Paula Viebrock, Vice Principal Linda Broome, and Librarian Susan Carnes are just some of the staff who helped make the event with First Lady Laura Bush and Jenna Bush a success. From the enthusiasm of the students to the dedication of the teachers, it’s clear that something very special happens every day at Kate Bell!
First Book-Matagorda County and First Book-Bryan/College Station: I love what I do, and owe it in no small part to the AMAZING volunteers that make up our network of Advisory Boards. Naturally, I was excited to finally meet, in person, the wonderful members of First Book-Matagorda and First Book-Bryan/College Station! A big thank you to Ethyleene Keel, Katy Pruitt, and their fellow Board members for their warm welcomes and precious time. Their communities are lucky to have these Boards and they’re already reaping the benefits, with thousands of books that have been distributed to local children.
KPMG: We met some real movers and shakers last week, thanks to KPMG’s generosity and commitment to literacy. We’re excited to work with them to reach new programs throughout Houston and greatly appreciate their support.
Unfortunately, we don’t have room here to thank everyone who made our trip our tremendous success, but please know that we are left with wonderful memories and look forward to returning!
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