Reading Fair for Children on August 31

Hundreds of children from Flankers and adjoining communities in St. James are expected to participate in the annual Sandals Montego Bay/Flankers Citizens’ Association Reading Fair, scheduled to be held at the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre on August 31.
The event, which has been dubbed ‘Readathon 2006’, will be staged under the theme, ‘Increasing knowledge through reading’. It is aimed at promoting reading as a past time activity among children between the ages of 6 and 16 years and to encourage slow and non-readers to become more active readers.
This year’s celebrity reader will be Miss St. James Festival Queen 2006, Maurine Reid, who will encourage the children to read as well as show them the benefits of reading. She will also be conducting and overseeing some of the activities and competitions of the event.
According to Manager of Sandals Montego Bay, Horace Peterkin, over the years the fair has been well supported by both the parents and youngsters, as over 500 children participated in Readathon 2005.
“The event takes place in an environment in which the children are comfortable reading and learning while having fun. There will be several competitions that children can be involved in, and at the same time win great prizes such as text books and other school supplies. The children will also have a story-telling corner as well as a movie room, where they can watch educational movies,” Mr. Peterkin told JIS News.
He pointed out that the overwhelming support received from companies that specialized in the production and distribution of reading materials, had made it possible for every child to receive a book.
The sponsors include, Source of Light, Delmay Distributors, Wisynco Traders, Sangsters Book Store, Page Book Store, The Gleaner, LMH Publishers, Lasco Foods, The Book Merchant Limited, KFC and Island Grill.