“There’s magic in sitting down with a book in hand and being transported by the story and pictures to another time and place. It stimulates our imagination, and shapes our visions and dreams,” said Tina Tucker, Lincoln County Community Educator for New Hope for Women. Tucker volunteered during United Way’s Community Read Aloud event.

Tucker shared her love of reading with children in Cindy Farnham’s Kindergarten/First Grade classroom at Edgecomb Eddy School. “I still remember being read to every day by a Primary School teacher, and how wonderful it was to be carried away into the story, even for a few moments,” she said. “I have loved participating in the Read Aloud over the years and feel that fostering a love of reading in young children is more important than ever.”

United Way of Mid Coast Maine coordinated the 15th annual Community Read Aloud event on March 3, matching volunteers with child cares, Head Starts, and preschool and elementary school classrooms. The volunteers visited over 3,450 children on that one day.

This annual event celebrates the anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and is part of Read Across America Day. The Topsham Expresso Rotary Club, Comcast, and Oxford Networks sponsor this special event that promotes the importance of reading with young children.

The volunteer readers come from all walks of life; many working in local businesses, at hospitals, financial institutions, schools, and nonprofits, and many are retired including retired teachers and librarians. Readers who visited classrooms at Wiscasset Primary School included Sandi Brann of Damariscotta Bank & Trust, Colleen Gilliam of Independence Association, John Starbird, Linda Belmont, Sandy Besecker, Tracey Campbell, Jean Moffatt, and Carolann Rines of Stitch ‘N Time Quilting.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office came out in force to support this year’s Community Read Aloud. In addition to Sheriff Todd Brackett who read with fourth graders at the Wiscasset Primary School, Michael Murphy, Ken Mason, Matt Day and Rand Maker (all from the Sheriff’s Office) read in classrooms across Lincoln County.

In addition to Tucker, the other readers who visited children at the Edgecomb Eddy School were Andrea Handel of ElderCare Network of Lincoln County, Jennifer Betts of Skidopmha Library, Stephen Cole of Coastal Enterprises, Mary Ann Moore and Janice Wood.

“We ask the volunteers to read a favorite book or two and to talk about why reading is important in their own personal and work lives,” said Peter Lindsay from United Way. “This is a great way for community members from all walks of life to share the joy of reading and great stories with children of all ages. Each year we hear back from children, teachers, child care providers, and volunteers how much fun this event is for all involved.

“And we know how important reading early with children is for starting right and getting children to love reading and stories even before they can read on their own.”

Teachers and children in 22 elementary schools and 20 child care centers, Head Start Centers and preschools hosted volunteers this year. Participating elementary schools in Lincoln County were Wiscasset Primary School, Edgecomb Eddy, Whitefield School, Jefferson Village, Nobleboro Central School, Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta, and Miller School in Waldoboro.

Participating child care centers included Coastal Kids, Central Lincoln County YMCA Child Care, Bonita's Early and Childhood Learning Center all in Damariscotta, Boothbay YMCA Child Care and Brown’s Child Care in Boothbay Harbor, Chickadee Tree Early Childhood in Waldoboro, and Salt Bay Area Head Start Center in Newcastle.