Storybook 35 Event Highlights
October 14, 2024
Storybook 35 was a success! We’re grateful to everyone who joined us at our 16th annual celebration of military families. The historic Abbey on Fifth was filled with partners, military leaders, and friends ready for a fun evening to celebrate 35 years of United Through Reading.
We started the evening with remarks from United Through Reading’s Interim CEO, Dr. Sally Ann Zoll, who highlighted a few of our 2023 milestones: distributing more than 85,000 books and recording more than 5,000 stories through our app. We also gave our founder, Betty Mohlenbrock, a well-deserved round of applause for starting this organization over three decades ago.
Vice Admiral David Cheever’s speech was full of fantastic dad jokes, and we presented Carol Holian and her daughters Mara and Kelly with the Military Family Leadership Award in memory of their father, Rear Admiral Fran Holian. Fran was a Board member and champion of United Through Reading, and it was very special to honor his contributions. His legacy as a Board member and champion of United Through Reading was truly special to commemorate.
Author Kelly Starling Lyons received the Audrey Geisel Friend of Military Children Award and shared that her family’s connection to the military dates back to the Civil War. Erin Crew’s touching family video about the impact we’ve had on her two young children during her husband’s deployment left many in the room reaching for tissues.
Raise the Paddle was spirited. Several items were in bidding wars, including the popular Paella Party on the Bay and a custom-made birthday cake served tableside to the winning bidders, Cathy and Howard Spetter.
“Growing up during the Vietnam era with a career US Navy father, Howard personally experienced family separation due to long deployments. Our son, now serving in the US Navy aboard submarines, has very similar communication challenges with his young family. We know the importance of United Through Reading and its role in keeping deployed parents in touch in a special way with their children and spouses. As a former UTR Board member, I witnessed the program from behind the scenes and saw its impact on families firsthand. We are honored to continue supporting UTR through monthly donations and annual events, such as Storybook 35.” ~Cathy Spetter
Bonnie Kintzer, CEO and Chairwoman of Trusted Media Brands came to speak on behalf of our Five-Star Partner, Readers Digest Foundation. She stunned the audience when she announced that, though the Foundation’s fund is closing, Readers Digest Foundation awarded United Through Reading a multi-year gift of all the remaining funds, for a total of $1 million!
We thank our sponsors for ensuring yet another year of success: Reader’s Digest Foundation, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, BAE Systems, Inc., Gillette, Carter’s Charitable Foundation, USAA, JTMF Foundation, Veterans United Foundation, Navy Federal Credit Union, Nordson, Kimberly-Clark Foundation, USS Midway Foundation, Northrop Grumman, The Pilot Company, Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc., L3 Harris, Buchanan Brand + Design, Amy’s Cakery, Cathy and Howard Spetter, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Laura Dohrmann, The Holian Family, Kay and Dwayne Junker, Rear Admiral and Mrs. Stephen Loeffler, Rob and Julie Pennoyer, Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Sylvester, USS Midway Museum, and Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.
