Born to Read project benefits from generosity

To the editor:

An incredible thing happened in Cape Girardeau Sept. 14. Hundreds of people came out to buy other people's junk to help provide a treasure for every baby born in the next year in the Cape Girardeau area: a brand-new book, the first in what we hope will be each baby's personal library.

All $986.92 of the yard sale's proceeds will go for purchasing books. All other costs of this effort, known as the Born to Read Literacy Project, will be covered by Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 260 volunteers, who will prepare information for parents about the importance of reading to their babies and who will transport books and information to St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital. The hospitals will provide the books and information to each newborn child. The program began in January 2001 and, with the help of the caring people of the Cape Girardeau area, is scheduled to continue indefinitely.

Phi Kappa Phi adopted this program because the ability to read is so necessary in everyday life, and every child deserve the opportunity to become a reading adult. Where books are readily available in the home, reading to babies is much more likely.

Every person who stopped by our yard sale and bought something or donated change "for the babies" helped to further our efforts to reduce illiteracy in Southeast Missouri. On behalf of Chapter 260, we thank you all for your generosity and support of the Born to Read Literacy Project.JULIE GRUENEBERG

JEWEL EGGLEY

Co-chairs

Born to Read Literacy Project

Phi Kappa Phi

Cape Girardeau