JOIN THE PARTY ON SEPT. 23
Kids Get Free DVD, Books and More at Party in the Park

Project Ready for School Unveils New DVD at 
East Lake Park Birthday Celebration on Sept. 23
United Way's early learning program enrolls more than 14,000 area children in free book program

Come celebrate Project Ready for School's third birthday with the United Way of Greater Chattanooga at a community-wide party on Sunday, September 23. The party will be held at East Lake Park (3108 East 34^th Street in Chattanooga, off Dodds Avenue) from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This celebration is FREE to the public and everyone is encouraged to join in on the fun.

This year, Project Ready For School will give parents who attend a free copy of a new developmental learning DVD,  "Building Minds, Building Futures," while supplies last. Developed and written by Project Ready for School Associate Director Lu Lewis, the DVD was created in collaboration with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and was generously sponsored by Chattem, Incorporated.

The DVD gives parents an understanding of their role in the development of their children's reading, writing and speaking skills. It shows them how to interact with their children in a way that will promote speech, language and cognitive development. The information is presented from a child's point of view and the DVD also features several early childhood development experts who share examples, stories and research findings on the subject.

In addition to receiving a free copy of the new DVD, families can also enjoy:

• the WTCI TV 45 kids karaoke stage;
• the Chattanooga Hamilton County Bicentennial Library storytelling tent;
• arts and crafts provided by the Speech & Hearing Center and Parents are First Teachers;
• face painting provided by the Health Department's TENNder Care program;
• the Chattanooga Zoo's mobile petting zoo;
• story time with the Girl Scouts of Moccasin Bend Council;
• a musical safety sidewalk game run by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee;
• FREE cake, beverages and healthy snacks; and
• a FREE set of tickets to the Creative Discovery Museum for every family that completes a developmental learning check-up.

The party is part of Imagination Library Week in Tennessee, and it caps off a fun-filled statewide celebration of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program. Now in its second year, Imagination Library Week, Sept. 16 - 23, is packed with events (like the birthday party) aimed at boosting enrollment across the state.

"As Tennessee closes in on nearly one out of every two eligible children registered in this important pre-kindergarten literacy program, I recognize there are still many more families with young children left to reach," said Governor Phil Bredesen. "Imagination Library Week is an opportunity to generate greater awareness for the program, and the importance of reading to children regularly as preparation for formal education. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of volunteers in all 95 counties, we are working toward instilling a love of books and reading - at the earliest possible age - in each and every one of Tennessee's children."

The United Way of Greater Chattanooga and Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, working together with the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation, launched the Imagination Library program here three years ago. This program is part of the United Way's Project Ready for School initiative, which offers a free book per month to children under age five in five counties, including Hamilton and Marion counties in Tennessee. In Georgia, United Way works with the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy and local community action teams to offer the Imagination Library program to children in Dade, Catoosa and Walker counties

More than 14,000 children in these areas now receive age-appropriate, hardback books in the mail each month at no cost to their families.Families can enroll at the party at the Project Ready for School booth. You can also call United Way at 423-752-0300 for a brochure or go online at www.uwchatt.org to enroll. After United Way receives a completed enrollment form signed by a parent, the child's first book typically is mailed within eight to ten weeks.

United Way of Greater Chattanooga funds local programs that create opportunities for people to care for themselves and each other, making our community the best at helping people achieve their potential. Thanks to an endowment fund that covers all overhead and administrative expenses, all contributions (100 percent) go directly to services that help individuals and families in greater Chattanooga, north Georgia and northeast Alabama.

Call the United Way at 423-752-0300 for more information.

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