By Matt Clevenger
TROY — Reading for Change (RFC) will host its annual Community Day celebration at Fulton Farms from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, featuring free fall activities for RFC students and information for those interested in volunteering for the organization.
“Fulton Farms is hosting us, and they have all their fall activities going on right now,” RFC program Director Carianne Cheatwood said. “Thanks to our sponsors, our reading for Change students will get to do the hayride and you-pick pumpkins for free.”
The Community Day event will also feature food provided by Just Beat It bakery and Wheel Fresh Pizza, and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to RFC.
“Just Beat it Bakery will be having a pop-up there, and donating a portion of sales to RFC,” Cheatwood said, “as well as Wheel Fresh Pizza food truck; they’ll be serving pizzas and also donating to RFC.”
“We’re going to have some raffles, and just hang out and have a good time,” she said. “We’ll have brochures and hope to talk to some families who are interested in joining, as well as get to know our current students and their parents and siblings.”
Reading for Change was started in 2015, Cheatwood said, and offers literacy support for local students.
“Ethan and Ally Martin founded it,” she said. “Ally is a school teacher, and with her time in the classroom she just really came to see how great of a need there is for literacy support for kids.”
The organization also helps provide low-cost tutoring services for students with dyslexia.
“One in five students has dyslexia,” Cheatwood said. “The tutoring for that, and the main curriculum Orten-Gillingham, if you go elsewhere to get it people can charge up to $50-80 per hour for that, and we are able to offer some of that for free for kids.”
“We found amazing volunteers and trained teachers, who are willing to offer those services for free to kids,” she said.
The organization is currently seeking additional volunteers to help with programs for local fifth and sixth-grade students.
“We have about 25 volunteers,” Cheatwood said. “Right now, we have spots available in our fifth and sixth-grade programs.”
Sponsors for the Community Day event include Dave’s Services, Outdoor Enterprise and Dungan & LeFevre.
Reading for Change is located at 105 S. Market St., Troy. More information can be found online at www.readingforchange.com.
