An outstanding opportunity for adults who value the importance of reading can be found in the Read Aloud Baldwin non-profit organization.

This Sept., Read Aloud Baldwin will begin its sixth year reading to the young children in the Baldwin County Head Start centers in Fairhope, Magnolia Springs and Hurricane.

The group’s volunteers read one-on-one with 3- to 5-year-olds during the school year and each person is committed to the fact that reading aloud to young children is essential to developing a love of books and the desire to learn to read. Reading aloud to young children develops vocabulary, active listening, comprehension and attention span—the building blocks of school success.

Read Aloud Baldwin is a volunteer driven organization with readers whose contributions go a long way to help fulfill its mission of sharing the joy of reading with young children in Baldwin County Head Start Centers.

As a volunteer reader you are demonstrating how to read, how much fun it is to read and you are helping young children increase their vocabulary.

The beginning of each new school year brings the challenge of identifying new volunteers to join our wonderful group of volunteer readers.

Each reader commits to one hour, once a week to read with the same children at one of the three Head Start Centers. Each volunteer is assigned to one of the centers and reads on the same day each week allowing this volunteer opportunity to easily become a weekly activity for the volunteers.

Read Aloud Baldwin provides each reader with a special RAB book bag filled with books appropriate for sharing with young children. The program also provides information on how to effectively read aloud with children.

Individuals interested in learning more about the program can contact program coordinator, Randal Wright at readaloudbaldwin@gmail.com or 210-6790.

You can also communicate with us through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/readaloudbaldwin.