Cranberry kids read for ‘Reach for the Stars'

Children count their reading time minutes for two weeks to raise money for good causes, By Jane Primerano Sparta — Thirty or more children, many in drippy bathing suits, clapped their hands to a nonsense song but then quieted down quickly. Their pre-school teacher, Sue Duff, had started to read a book about a little pink pig with a pushy attitude. Every Thursday in July, kids from Cranberry Lake gathered at the clubhouse just off Route 206 for storytime and a crafts session. On on typical day they heard several stories, sang some songs, and created an “ocean in a bottle” using colored sand and plastic shells. “It’s a fun craft,” said Duff, a mother and member of the Cranberry Lake Women’s Association. She said her profession makes it “easier to come up with crafts the children enjoy.” This year, the kids could count their reading time toward “Reach for the Stars,” a fundraiser started by Patricia Poff of the women’s association. Poff, an educational consultant for Usborne Books, proposed the fundraiser, which uses Usborne’s nonfiction children’s books. Children and their parents solicited pledges for the minutes they would spend reading during a two-week period. Children who did not read yet can received pledges for the stories their parents read to them. Participants collected pledge forms and reading logs in which they keep track of their reading times from the various clubmasters on duty at the clubhouse. Forms and pledge money were collected on July 31. Each participant received a certificate and bookmark. The eight children who participated raised a total of $440, with three of the children raising $100 of that total. The $440 represents 2,700 minutes of reading — not bad for a hot summer that drew the kids to the lake. The participants included Ashley Bigica, Gavin Coles, Skyla Marotte, Troy Dupont, Samantha Healy, Claire Perez, Julia Perez and Rachel Lisk. “Reach for the Stars” fundraisers are typically used for more than one purpose, according to Usborne publicity. In this case, Poff said, “We decided to use 30 percent to purchase Usborne books for Celebrate the Children because it’s a school here in Byram for autistic children.” In addition, 50 percent of the pledge money will buy new Usborne books for the participants, and 20 percent will be used for Cranberry Lake Community Clubhouse needs, according to Poff’s press release. Although pleased with the results, Poff and the women’s association say they want to get more books for Celebrate the Children, so they are holding an Usborne back-to-school book fair on Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the clubhouse. Anyone who can’t make the event may order online at www.ubah.com/BF18758. Poff thanked the fundraiser’s corporate sponsors — Byram Plaza Dairy queen, Your Salon Family Haircare Center and Frank’s Italian Restaurant — for their participation.