Give Us 1 Story… and We'll Give You 100!

Reach Out and Read

In February 2011, we launched the "Give Us 1 Story...and We'll Give You 100!" contest, which encourages all providers and coordinators to submit stories to Headquarters through the national website. Each month, we'll announce the winning story here in the Leadership Bulletin and share it with you all. Please keep on sending great stories our way and continue to encourage your Sites to do the same!

These are the kinds of stories that will help Reach Out and Read to secure additional funding and raise awareness of our efforts nationwide.

Thank you for all you do to support our families and children!

May 2012

This month's winner is Dr. Robbie Lewis Blackwell of Appomatox Area Health and Wellness Center in Virginia.

Here's Robbie's story:

Recently, I walked into an exam room and found a rather overwhelmed dad with two young children. One of the children was 18 months old and the other one was three years old. The younger child was cranky because the visit had disrupted his usual nap time. The older child was upset because she usually stayed at home with her mom during the day; therefore, she decided that she was going to cry until she returned home. The dad said that his wife was sick, but had insisted that he bring the 3-year-old girl to her well-child visit. The dad works on the night shift at a local plant and was exhausted from staying up all night. When I walked into the room both children continued to cry, but as soon as I extended the Reach Out and Read book to the girl, her entire face lit up. She then jumped from her dad's lap and ran across the floor with a big smile on her face. She yelled, 'Book!' as she eagerly reached for it. She was happy for the rest of the visit!

The dad told me that she loves books, and that she likes to pretend that she is reading to her little sister. He said that since the day his daughter had received a book at her six-month visit, his wife had started reading to her at night before bed. Now each night the 3-year-old girl "reads" to her little sister before their mom reads to them both. The dad said that before they received their first Reach Out and Read book, it had never occurred to his wife to read to the baby; now she enjoys reading to both of the children and realizes that she is also helping to build their vocabulary. He then thanked me for the Reach Out and Read books that the children had received at their well visits.

Needless to say, this one visit brightened my whole day! I am grateful for the opportunity to consistently make a difference in the lives of my patients and their families through this very simple yet effective tool.

April 2012

This month's winner is Meghan Treitz of Child Health Clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado.

Here's Meghan's story:

One of my most memorable experiences with Reach Out and Read was both reaffirming and heartbreaking. I was seeing a 5-year-old old girl for her well-child checkup. She had been healthy so I had not seen her since her previous well-child checkup the year before. I walked in with a brand new book and told the girl and her mother, 'You know, we give a brand new book at each well-child visit through the age of 5 as a part of a program called Reach Out and Read.' The mom interrupted and said, 'Oh yes! Last year you gave us 'The Ugly Duckling.' It was the first book we ever owned at our house. We read it every night.' She then looked over at the girl, who was paging through the book, and said to her daughter with such excitement in her voice, 'Now we'll have TWO books a home!' It shows how important Reach Out and Read is to our families, but it still breaks my heart to think that for some families, two books is such a luxury.

March 2012

This month's winner is Michele Garrett of Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland.

Here's Michele's story:

I'm a nurse and coordinator of Reach Out and Read. I had been teaching a particular pregnant teen in childbirth classes. She came to me after the baby was born and told me, 'I remember what you said in class about the importance of reading to my baby every day. I didn't have any books to read to her, so I read her my report card and my homework, and she still seemed to enjoy it. Do you think that is OK?' I told her that the most important thing was that she was reading to her baby! I gave her a beautiful book for her to take home and enjoy with her baby -- a book from Reach Out and Read. She was delighted!

February 2012

This month's winner is Dr. Tamara Walker Harper of The Pediatric Center of Gulfport, Mississippi, who told us she remains "excited and humbled" that her practice is a Reach Out and Read Site thanks to funding from the Kellogg Foundation.

Here's Tamara's story, which was shared with her by a mother of a patient.

This afternoon I had to take Amari to see Dr. Harper. While I was there, I experienced something that touched my heart and I hope it touches yours as well. In the waiting room sat all the books that were donated through a local service project, as well as the ones that Dr. Harper received from the grant for the Reach Out and Read program. The kids in there were so excited to see those books. One girl took as many books as she could over to her mom to read to her, and then it was just a domino effect -- once one kid started, the other kids got into it as well. When we left, Amari received her book as well, and she was so into reading it she almost ran into the door! And then a lady in the elevator asked her what she had and Amari said, 'The doctor gave me a book because I was sick.' She has not put her book down since then. In sharing my experience, I just hope anyone who hasn't donated will, because the kids really enjoy it. I saw it firsthand. Sometimes the smallest gifts mean so much.

January 2012

This month's winner is Michelle Carson of Genesee Pediatrics in Rochester, New York. Her story is short but powerful!

A young patient at our Site was so excited to get a book he wanted to read that he was seen kissing it as he left our book room. This moment shows the magic of Reach Out and Read.

December 2011

This month's winner is Timothy D. Johnston of Esperanza Health Center in Philadelphia. Here is Timothy's story:

This is a story from my colleague, Deborah Moss. She shared with me: One of my favorite parts of work is caring for children. I love their little voices and bodies, and the sound of their little pattering feet echoing through the hallways. It makes me glad to be a family nurse practitioner, who can see patients from "cradle to grave." And my absolute favorite part of well-child checkups is giving away books. At Esperanza, we participate in a program called Reach Out and Read, which promotes literacy by providing books for our youngest patients. One day I was doing new patient physicals for 2- and 5-year-old brothers, and gave each of them age-appropriate books in Spanish. As their little hands grasped their newfound treasures, their joyful faces told me they already knew the pleasure of books. However, I didn't realize exactly how treasured these little gifts would be until they came back two days later for a check of the skin test for tuberculosis each had received. The 2-year-old boy was still grasping the book with evident pride and joy, and his mother told me "He hasn't let go of it except to eat and sleep since you gave it to him. He loves that book!" I am so grateful to work in a place where we have these resources, and doubly glad that I get to be the one giving them away on a daily basis. May both of those little boys learn the joy of learning and exploring the world through reading as they grow!!

November 2011

This month's winner is Dan Taylor of St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Pennsylvania. Here is Dan's story:

Do you believe in angels? I do. One of the most rewarding activities I've performed for the past 12 years as a pediatrician who sees mostly underserved families is participating in Reach Out and Read. Whether it's the fascinated expression I observe after giving a brand-new book to an angelic 6-month-old and talking about the benefits of daily reading to a parent, or having a tween choose his favorite gently-used chapter book, I know that these interventions make a positive difference. Research has shown that many of the social disparities that our families face come from lack of exposure to early literacy interventions such as Reach Out and Read. This wonderful program doesn't come without hard work from health care providers. At our office we give out more than 10,000 books a year and when funding is getting low and our offices bookshelves are getting bare, I experience great anguish with the inconceivable notion that we may run out of books. This is when the angels take over. Like magic, a new email asks if our Reach Out and Read program would be the beneficiary of a Mitzvah Project for a child's Bat Mitzvah. I receive a call from a friend who is moving and wants to drop off 10 boxes of gently-used books to our hospital. A new message is delivered to my cell phone asking if I can pick up 15 boxes of brand new books from a local Borders book drive. I wake up one morning and open my front door to get the morning paper and almost trip over four boxes of gently-used books that were left on my porch anonymously with a note stating they're for Reach Out and Read. Slowly our bookshelves become full again and the giddy voices of children picking out their favorite books reverberate in our office hallways. Do you believe? As I watch a child's eyes open wide as she ventures into the magic world of opening up a new book, I do.

October 2011

This month's winner is Brenda Waber, a Reach Out and Read reading volunteer at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Care Network, Pediatric & Adolescent Care, Cobbs Creek practice. Here is Brenda's story:

Last week at our Cobbs Creek clinic, I found a cute gently-used book about a frog that I offered to a 2-year-old girl and her young mother. After I finished reading to another child, I offered to read to the girl. She wanted me to read that same frog book. I asked if she would like to sit on my lap, which she eagerly did. During the story the frog hops -- so I bounced the little girl on my lap as I read. I changed my voice with the different characters. The girl laughed and was thoroughly engaged in the story.

When we were done her mother said, " I couldn't read it that way." I assured her she already had been doing a good job as her daughter was interested in books at this tender age. All she had to do was let her imagination take over as she read the story and she could deliver any tale with that added spark.

It was one of those good days that make Reach Out and Read so special!

September 2011

This month's winner is Debbie Meek from Rush Memorial Hospital in Rushville, Indiana. Here is Debbie's story:

This is not a "tear jerker" or a "moment to take your breath away," but I do believe it shows what Reach Out and Read's caring spirit is about! When our hospital first became a Reach Out and Read Site, I immediately put the word out about the program to clubs and organizations in our community. One day I received a call from our local high school S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) sponsor asking me to come over to accept a check for Reach Out and Read from the high school students. I remember being very excited as this would be the first real contribution from our community! I was sooo hoping for $50, and was absolutely SHOCKED to be handed a check for $500! They were so sure I would be surprised that they had the local media there to take a picture the instant I looked at the check. The following year, I was once again called to Rushville High School to receive a second $500 check for Reach Out and Read on behalf of the students of S.A.D.D. It continues to be my hope and dream the children receiving new books from Reach Out and Read will someday grow up, join S.A.D.D., and remember the thrill of getting to take home a Reach Out and Read book from the doctor's office! I hope they embrace the thought of giving back and continue to support Reach Out and Read through S.A.D.D. In thinking about it, the generosity of the Students Against Destructive Decisions actually does "take my breath away!"

August 2011

This month's winner is Dr. Colette R. Desrochers of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pediatric & Adolescent Care, Cobbs Creek. Here's Colette's story:

I have just had a wonderful interaction around books with one of my families in the office. Two sisters, ages 4 and 7, were here for their checkups. As I walked in the exam room with a new book for the 4-year-old, the older sister asked, "Ooh, is that your book?" and looked eagerly at the book. I explained to the older sister that she had gotten so big that we couldn't give her a "new" book, but that she could take any book from the "gently used book bin" in the room. She reached for the Spanish version of "Snow White." When she showed the book to me, she said that she was going to "bring the book to her Spanish teacher at school so that her whole class could learn new words."

I was so moved by her generous spirit. Just in case any of us still are looking for inspiration in our daily lives -- it is all around us!

July 2011

This month's winner is Mary Siegrist, program coordinator for the Medical College of Wisconsin-affiliated Sites. Here's Mary's story:

When I was delivering books to the Downtown Health Center this week, pediatrician Dr. Schum pulled me aside and told me about a special incident that had happened at the clinic a few days earlier. A mother with her 9-month old baby came in for a well visit. Dr. Schum told her, "You know you can read to your baby." It was as though a light bulb went on for the mother. The mother, very surprised and excited, said, "I can!" Dr. Schum then described how to share books with her child and how it would help the baby's development. He sent home two books with the mother since the baby had missed the six-month visit.

June 2011

This month's winner is Jim Williams from Reach Out and Read Colorado. Here's Dr. Williams' story:

Yesterday a 4-year-old boy was in for a checkup. We found that he had an undescended testes and so the conversation was fairly serious discussing that he needed surgery. When we were done, and his mom was talking to the receptionist, I told his 11-year-old brother to take him over to the bookshelf and help him pick out a book to take home. Almost immediately, the 4-year-old boy came running over to me to show his book of animals. Inside there were glittery images that moved when the book moved. It was cool! Then he ran to the receptionist to show her and then to the medical assistant and then to his mom. He was beaming a huge smile. When they left, he was clutching the book to his chest and not worrying at all about surgery. His brother promised to read frequently to him.

May 2011

This month's winner is Mary Ann Abrams from Reach Out and Read Iowa. Here's Dr. Abrams' story:

When Marshalltown, Iowa was recognized as a Bookend City, health providers and community leaders invited families to join the celebration event. One family eloquently described how much they appreciate Reach Out and Read and love sharing books with their young children, and related one of their Reach Out and Read experiences with their pediatrician.

The Marshalltown mother brought her young daughter and son to their well-child checkups. When the doctor entered the exam room, the boy asked, "She gets a book today, right?" When the doctor agreed, and held out the Reach Out and Read books, the boy said proudly, "I told her that! I told my sister and I told my mom that she's going to get a book and then "I'm going to read it to her!"

This is a proud moment in so many ways: a child who is proud of his family, proud of his reading skills, and proud to be proven right in his promise that a visit to the doctor means a beautiful new book. And a perfect illustration for everyone of what makes Reach Out and Read so successful in fulfilling its mission.

April 2011

The winning story for April 2011 was submitted by: Drs. Kirstin Nackers and Dipesh Navsaria from University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, WI. Their Site wins a gift of 100 books! Here's Dr. Nackers' story:

"A resident I'm mentoring had a difficult time examining a fussy 2-year-old little boy, and afterwards commented to me that this had been a perfect example of why he could never do pediatrics. At the end of the visit, he went back in to give the child his book and prescription to read, and had a totally different experience with the same child. He made a point of letting me know that maybe he shouldn't write pediatrics off so easily."

Ideally, next time, the resident will realize the benefit of introducing the book at the BEGINNING of the visit!

March 2011

The winning story for March 2011 was submitted by: Dr. Mariana Glusman from Children's Memorial Pediatrics - Uptown in Chicago, IL. Her Site wins a gift of 100 books! Here's Dr. Glusman's story:

I saw my patient, Lucy, last year for her 18-month checkup with one of her moms. Before I went into the room, as usual, I looked for a book for her in our Reach Out and Read baskets. I saw there one of my favorite books, called Ten, Nine, Eight. As soon as I was about to give it to Lucy, I all of a sudden realized that the book is about a little girl being put to bed by her dad, and embarrassed, I said to the mom that if she wanted, I could go get her a different book that was not about a dad. She said that no, they wanted their child to know that there are many different kinds of families. When Lucy came back to see me for her 2-year checkup, the first thing her mom said to me as she pulled the book I gave her from her diaper bag, was, "You know, Dr. Glusman, that book that you gave her is her favorite book. She wants us to read it every night and she takes it with her wherever she goes. See here it is!" It's a reminder that books are sometimes our children's first exposure to people different than them. And reading stories and books that have pictures of people of different cultures can help our children learn about our diverse world.

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