Photo By Sgt. Jessica Kuhn | Air Force Tech. Sgt. Eric Troutman, a native of Biloxu, Miss., helps distribute books...... read more read more
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Imagine walking through a magical forest full of fairies and gnomes or exploring outer space where mysterious green aliens hide behind every corner.
For children, these imaginary worlds are created by each page of an interesting book with only their imagination as their boundary.
The national launch of the Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces program will include the distribution of approximately 4,000 books in the state of North Carolina at 1 p.m. at the W.T. Brown Elementary School in Spring Lake, Sept. 10, explained the Blue Star Families website, www.bluestarfam.org.
Blue Star Families, a non-profit organization of military families, has partnered with Kids in Distressed Situations Incorporated, to introduce the Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces program.
The purpose of the Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces program is to distribute 100,000 books to military schools and libraries, as well as local military-impacted public schools across the nation to promote the healing power of books, explained Lisa Ferguson, the coordinator of the Fayetteville area Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces group.
During the national launch, a representative from each of the schools and libraries will be there to accept their book donation, Ferguson explained.
The event will also include an appearance by N.C. Governor Bev Perdue, who is scheduled to read to the children, Ferguson said.
From there, the books will be taken back to the schools and libraries.
"These books will give kids the opportunity to have fun and read, which will help them with any stress they might have and also help keep them out of trouble," said Airman 1st Class Nicholas Mangham, 2nd Airlift Squadron.
Ferguson, a native of Enterprise, Ala., couldn't agree more.
"I think it's a really good program because statistics have shown that higher stress and anxiety levels are found in military children," Ferguson said. "Reading books has been proven to help reduce anxiety and stress in children."
Besides helping with the heightened stress levels found in military children, these books will also provide on-going support in the effort to promote literacy in America's children, the Blue Star Families website stated.
Children with parents serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard will benefit from this significant donation to their schools and libraries, the Blue Star Families website explained.
Even though Ferguson wasn't a military child growing up, she still found the use of books to flee her everyday problems.
"I loved the Ramona Quimby books when I was growing up," Ferguson explained. "She would get herself into these crazy situations and mischief; it was nice to see a different perspective of how a family acted when she would find herself in trouble."
As the U.S. military faces its eighth consecutive year of war, these books, just like the books you read as a kid, will indeed help ease the consequences of the recent stressful times the military children have experienced as a result of their parents deploying.
Before the end of the year, Blue Star Families and K.I.D.S plans to distribute 10,000 books to military children, with an aspiring goal of 25,000 to 30,000, for next year, the Blue Star Families website said.
"If we can donate books to help children not be so upset and be able to enjoy school and their friends or sports, I think that's a really great thing," Ferguson said.
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2009 11:03 |
| Story ID: | 38463 |
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| Web Views: | 311 |
| Downloads: | 287 |
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