City of Rochester
News Release
(July 31, 2009) - In honor of Rochester’s 175th Anniversary this year, the Big Wish Globe and Book Donation Depot will continue its traveling tour at the Park Avenue Festival. The 10-foot steel globe, which was filled with wishes and set ablaze for the city’s early New Year’s Eve celebration last year, will serve as a symbolic partner with the Rochester Literacy Movement as a way to improve reading skills and access to reading material.
“Ensuring that every child has access to quality reading material is essential to their education,” Mayor Robert J. Duffy said. “The generous donations of our citizens in the Greater Rochester area will go a long way toward realizing this community’s goal of improved literacy.”
In addition to enjoying one of Rochester’s most popular festivals, come out to see the globe and donate new or gently used books for the city’s youth. All family-friendly books are welcomed, including recent books on tape/CD. Ethnically-rich and diverse books are encouraged. Book donations can be dropped in the depot at the following times:
• Sat., Aug. 1, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sun., Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Rochester Literacy Movement was launched by Mayor Duffy as a way to engage the community in the effort to make Rochester the most literate mid-sized city in the country. The movement has three important focus areas: Early Childhood Development – Universal Pre-Kindergarten; School-Aged Children – Strategic Partnerships; Advancing Adult/Family Literacy in the Rochester Public Libraries.
The Big Wish Globe will continue to travel throughout the community this summer.
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News Media: For more information, contact Hazeldene Hercules at 428-6230.