[pyrnet] re: Paws to Read::::Succeeding in Reading

[Pyralive@aol.com]

Well, it's over~~Or is it ?  Summer is here, School will be out of session~~The children will be free to run and play from daylight until dusk~~Will They miss us ? (I don't know)~~~ they're sure to miss the "Big Whites" that came to visit every Tuesday! We' will  miss them, the dogs will miss being loved on and made over~~Each Child had it's own special way of creeping into Our hearts~~~
On Thursday,  May 23,2002, Lake Forrest Elementary held a Celebration to honor the success of Their reading program this year , which has now reached the goal of having 80 % of the students in the School turn in their  reading homework on a daily basis, (this is up from 20%).Their partner in this project was Papa Johns Pizza, who agreed to deliver up to 100 pizzas to celebrate.
There were Guest speakers, and this time,  An"D" and I, Barney and Nancy Huggard had to read to the children ! Nancy and I were escorted to separate  classrooms, introduced to a teacher, then sat in front of the class to read from a book that We had chosen at an earlier time !  ( I wonder if we were tested on how good We read ?)   Channel 5 was there, video cameras, flash bulbs, ect... and thru it all, We were told, "don't look at the camera, just pretend that it isn't here "~~Now, how do You get a dog to ignore someone that is standing right in front of them, holding  this weird contraption pointed in their direction ?

I'm pretty sure that the Children have not been the only ones that have profited from  the NFGPC ,(Paws to Read),endevor ~~Somehow, I feel a little better about Myself, about the days to come~~I think that all of the ones that participated in this program should feel the same way ~~If the future belongs to the children, then,  perhaps We have made the effort to get them to that future a little easier ! 
I would personally like to thank the volunteers~~Yes, sometimes the "deadlines" of life got in the way, sometimes, We were "pulling our hair out", but,YOU DID IT ! Everyone deserves a BIG pat on the back, "Thanks Everyone~~You helped some children, You Made A Difference!
Let's see, there was : Ron Sabetta and Sally,  Toni Tregear and Harry, Sara Burks and Joy,  Janet Hunter and Bailey 2,  Pam Croy with AN"D" , Nancy Huggard with Rudy and Barney,    (Yes, Rudy was there at the Pizza Party) Rudy left Us before the end of the program, but, every Tuesday,until the end, He was there, He managed to walk into the "reading room" to make His presence known, and, at the Pizza Party  I have No Doubt that  there was a "Big White" watching and listening, with a big "doggie smile" on His face !

Pam Croy
PYRALIVE@AOL.COM

"We need not Think alike to Love alike"