For the Rapids City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Help United Way of Inner Wisconsin fight the “summer slide” by attending the ninth Annual Great Book Giveaway from June 11-15.

Volunteers will be reading to children at each location for approximately half an hour and each child can select two free books to keep.  The books were collected during a book drive held in April.

All children and youth – ages birth to 12 years, parents, grandparents, caregivers, and day care providers are invited to attend this free event.  Families can come to the event and day care providers are welcome to bring along all children in their care.

The 2018 Great Book Giveaway schedule includes: June 11 at the Charles and JoAnn Lester Public Library, Nekoosa, 10:30 a.m.; June 11, Municipal Zoo Shelter, Wisconsin Rapids, 1:30 p.m.; June 12, Edwards Alexander Memorial Park, Port Edwards, 10:30 a.m.; June 13, THINK Academy Playground, Rudolph, 10:30 a.m.; June 13, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, 6 p.m.; June 14, Lester Public Library of Vesper, 2:30 p.m.; and June 15, Adams County Library, Adams, 10:30 a.m.

Some of this year’s highlights include: Race car driver Justin Mondeik volunteering at the Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Zoo, bringing his race car for kids to view; Kathy McGrath volunteering at Port Edwards, bringing some of her monarch butterfly chrysalises, and maybe some caterpillars, to display; and Suzanne Schreiner and Evan Henthorne from Adams County Health and Human Services will be at the Adams County Library reading books about nutrition and healthy choices.

The purpose of the Great Book Giveaway is to give kids new books to read and enjoy during the summer months. Kids who read in the summer are less likely to fall behind when the new school year begins.

In the event of rain, the Great Book Giveaway will be moved indoors to a backup location.  For more information, visit www.uwiw.org or call the United Way office at 715-421-0390.