ALTUS - Join community and Altus Air Force Base leaders as they celebrate “Read Across AmericaŠAltus Style” from 4 to 5 p.m. on March 8 at the Altus Public Library. Readers of all ages are encouraged to join them at their reading party to celebrate the joys of reading with Dr. Seuss on his 103rd birthday.

Chief of Police Mike Patterson, radio personality Michael Barnes, local author and business owner Eddie Wilcoxen, , Director of the Learning Resource Center at WOSC Tony Hardman and Peg Proffitt from GMH will each read a special story to the children of the community. Also joining us at our birthday party from Altus Air Force Base are COL Bartholomew and LT Clyde Kremer who will also read one their favorite stories. There will be refreshments and prizes for all kidscoming to the party. The refreshments are being provided by our partner, GMH. GMH is the contractor for Altus Air Force Base Military Housing.

If you've ever shared a book with a child, you know the joy and excitement this small but meaningful act can bring. But, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, since 1993 only 53 to 58 percent of children ages three to five received this joy on a daily basis.

We can do better! Simply reading daily with a child does requires parents, older brothers and sisters, and other caring adults to add yet another hat to the many they already wear to care for and raise a child. But by adding the reading hat to your collection, you also add great rewards:

€ Children who are read to at home have a higher success rate in school.

€ Children who read frequently develop stronger reading skills.

To get kids excited about reading and encourage more adults to spend time reading with their children, the National Education Association (NEA) launched the first NEA's Read Across America day in 1998. On March 2, 2007, NEA's Read Across America will mark ten years of celebrating reading. This will mark the 103rd birthday of Dr. Seuss.

So from coast to coast, teachers, celebrities, community members, and parents are putting aside the many hats they wear for work and play and donning their reading hats, the red and white striped stovepipe hat of the Cat in the Hat. Here in Altus at the Altus Public Library on March 8th from 4-5 PM we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday with local community leaders and leaders from Altus Air Force Base.

In bringing a nation of readers together under one hat, NEA's Read Across America offers opportunities for you to volunteer, to read, and to share your life experiences; opportunities for businesses to contribute products to congratulate young readers and for employees to volunteer time at reading programs; and opportunities for our elected officials, from the national to the state and local levels, to make reading a high priority.

Let's all join together on March 8th, and every day thereafter, to ensure that Jackson County's children have caring adults to share books and rich reading experiences.

For more information call the library at 477-2890.