United Through Reading Day

November 15, 2016

PROCLAMATION

Presented by Supervisor Greg Cox

HONORING UNITED THROUGH READING

WHEREAS, United Through Reading was founded in 1989 by the wife of a Naval flight surgeon who was deployed when their daughter was an infant and he returned home to find his daughter didn’t recognize him; and

WHEREAS, United Through Reading helps active duty service members and their families by videotaping service members reading books aloud to their children; and

WHEREAS, United Through Reading records service members at their duty stations, ships or bases, and at recording stations at select USO sites, base libraries, chaplain’s offices and locations around the world; and

WHEREAS, the video tapes are mailed to military families so that they can be viewed over and over again, and the books that are read are sent home along with the video; and

WHEREAS, the program creates emotional connections between parents and their children, encourages early childhood literacy and a love of reading and makes homecomings easier for both services members and their children; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, United Through Reading served nearly 100,000 beneficiaries, at 262 recording locations around the world and distributed more than 10,000 children’s books to military children; and

WHEREAS, the County of San Diego is committed to recognizing and honoring those organizations that are dedicated to the best ideals of public service, and United Through Reading is one such worthy organization; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT PROCLAIMED by Chairman Ron Roberts and all members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, on this 15th day of November 2016, that they commend UNITED THROUGH READING for outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to the men and women of our military and do hereby declare this day to be “UNITED THROUGH READING DAY” throughout San Diego County.