Family Literacy Day attended by 100 families

FALLBROOK — The Second Annual Fallbrook A Leer/Reading Family Literacy Day held April 19 was a big success. Live Oak Elementary School coordinated scores of volunteers to conduct the Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning event. It was in this way that Fallbrook celebrated the legacy of Cesar Chavez, the late labor and civil rights leader.

The Maie Ellis auditorium filled up quickly that Saturday morning as student volunteers, volunteer guest readers and volunteer committee members arrived early to set up the facility for more than 100 families who were coming to learn more about literacy and give a day of community service. In reality, the committee of more than 40 volunteers gave weeks of service since last November when the planning first began.

More than 200 children and 125 parents registered for this free event that consisted of workshops for parents in English and Spanish and a story circuit for children where they heard four different stories read by volunteers. Each child received free brand new books about Cesar Chavez and got to choose two more books from hundreds donated by organizations and individuals.

Sixth-graders Louisa Ballif and Rafael Lopez of Live Oak Elementary read their winning essays about Cesar Chavez to the audience.

For more information on how to volunteer for or donate to the 2009 Fallbrook A Leer/Reading Family Literacy Day, call Leticia Maldonado-Stamos at Live Oak Elementary School at (760) 731-4430.