1The First R Foundation of Gloucester and Cape Ann, named by organizer and driving force Patricia Earle for the "first R" in the old "reading, writing and 'rithmetic" line, is primarily reaching out to its local army of volunteer readers to raise between $7,000 and $10,000, Earle said.
That goal reflects funding the purchase of books that are given to the local school classrooms after an adult reads and shows of the illustrated pages of the books to oft-mesmerized kindergartners and first-graders. It also serves as an effort to match a $3,000 matching gift offered by Elizabeth Grady Enterprises President John Walsh, a Wingaersheek resident who is one of the program's most dedicated readers, Earle said.
In that role, Walsh is one of dozens of volunteers who visit Gloucester's public elementary schools, Rockport Elementary. St. Ann's and Eastern Point Day School. March readers alone included retired legislator Anthony Verga, former Chamber of Commerce chief Mike Costello, BankGloucester president Patrick Thorpe, writer/actor/musician Gordon Baird and actress and Gloucester Stage PR director Heidi Dallin. Other regular guest readers include Walsh. City Councilor and former School Committee Chairman Greg Verga, Rockport National Bank President Peter Anderson — and reporters, photographers and editors from the Times.
The program draws financial sponsorship from BankGloucester, Rockport National Bank and Granite Savings, while Earle gets the children's books for the program at what she calls "generous discounts" from The Bookstore on Gloucester's Main Street. Anyone seeking to contribute to the program may contact Earle via e-mail at srharpy@aol.com.
At the core of the program is Earle herself, a self-described "political operative" who has run and worked on election campaigns, written speeches for candidates — and carried out a lifelong love for reading.
Earle recalls she had a very basic reaction to the news in 2003-2004 that, facing another in a continuing line of fiscal straits, Gloucester eliminated librarian's positions in its elementary schools.
"My first thought was, this just can't happen," she says now.
Seeking an alternative, Earle said she knew of a number of programs modeled on residents and businesses donating books to school classrooms; she also knew of volunteer programs that brought in adult residents to read to the children. But she realized the potential of one that could do both — bring children's books to life, yet leaving the books for the students to re-read, time and time again.
"You're creating that love of reading, especially with animated and fun readers," said Beeman Elementary School Principal Ellen Sibley. "That's what this program does. Plus, the children get to keep the books (in the classrooms), so they can revisit it after it's been read to them."
The program is generally carried out the first week of each month during the school year, when Earle's First R volunteers fan out from school to school. In each case, the volunteer introduces his or herself to the children, tells them a bit about what they do, then reads to the pupils, shows off the always-colorful children's-book drawings, fields the children's questions and comments — then presents the book to the class for their safekeeping. Earle said she dreams of the day the foundation can provide individual copies of all of the readers' books to all of the students.
"I've been (reading in the program) for five years — I love it," said Greg Verga — who, as one of his last acts as School Committee chairman late last year, presided over presenting Earle with a special city schools' commendation for her work.
"Just seeing the reaction from the kids, just seeing the kids laugh, just hearing what they ask for questions — I always look forward to it," he said.
Verga and Sibley both noted another, more subtle benefit to the program.
"It gets people from the community into the schools," Sibley said. "It gives them the chance to see the good things that are happening in our schools, and that's so important."
For Earle, the satisfaction also comes from the reactions of the schoolchildren, who, in many schools, usually gather right around the reader to get a close-up view of the illustrations — and, with the more dynamic readers, the action.
There are some reactions, of course, she remembers more than others.
"I'll never forget one time when I was reading," she recalls. "There was this one little boy who was fascinated by the story. He kept looking at me, looking at me, giving me his undivided attention....
"Then, when we finished the book, he said 'Gee, this was great — reading is better than TV!'"
"That," she said, "just made my day."
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