Reading Reindeer celebrates 20 years

The Observer Media Group-sponsored book drive has collected books for nearly 60,000 children in West Orange.

By Amy Quesinberry
| 11:14 a.m. November 9, 2017

West Orange Times & Observer
News

Most of us can recall our favorite childhood books and who read them to us at night.

REINDEER RUN 5K

Lace up your sneakers and stretch your calves for the Reindeer Run 5K at 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves. The event, presented by Orlando Health-Health Central Hospital, Healthy West Orange, Winter Garden Village and the Observer Media Group, raises funds for the Reading Reindeer literacy program and to benefit Oakland Nature Preserve and Nehrling Gardens after damage from Hurricane Irma.

All 5K finishers will receive a medal. Awards will be presented to the top male and female overall and the top male and female masters. Age-group awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers in the standard five-year increments.

Race-day registration and packet pick-up begins at 6 a.m.

Runners and walkers who register by Nov. 26 pay $25 and are guaranteed a race T-shirt. The cost is $30 after that date. Preregister online at trinrun.com.

Other sponsors are Florida Hospital Winter Garden, A-1 Orange Exterior Building Services, Mudpies and Manners and Weber Environmental Services Inc.

For information, contact Allison Brunelle at (407) 656-2121 or [email protected].

But there are children in West Orange County who don't have their own books or don’t know the thrill of opening a new book.

The Observer Media Group’s Reading Reindeer is kicking off its 20th year of collecting and handing out new books to be given to needy children at Christmastime. The Observer The Observer is partnering with Healthy West Orange and the West Oaks Mall to help reach its goal of 5,000 books.

New books for children from infancy through middle school are being accepted for this annual literacy project. Each year, Reading Reindeer gave away more than 5,000 books.

They are distributed to multiple organizations: Edgewood Children’s Ranch, Community Health Center, Migrant & Homeless Early Education Program of Orange County Public Schools, Resurrection Catholic Church, Head Start and prekindergarten program at Maxey Elementary School, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Winter Garden and the Ocoee and Winter Garden police departments’s toy giveaway programs, as well as the children served by the West Orange Christian Service Center.

Reading Reindeer was started in West Orange County in 1998. Community support has enabled Reading Reindeer to bring new books to close to 60,000 children. New businesses and civic groups have joined annual donors to make this holiday literacy effort a success each year.

Red donation bins are set out in locations all over West Orange County for donors to drop off books.

Through cash donations, this program also provides a new copy of Dr. Seuss’ ABCs to the parents of all babies born at Health Central throughout the year — approximately 700 births annually.

The community is invited to join the effort to improve literacy levels in West Orange County. Checks payable to Reading Reindeer also can be mailed to the Observer Media Group office at 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden, Florida 34787.

This year’s campaign ends Dec. 9, and new books will be accepted until that date. The program is being coordinated by Allison Brunelle, and she can be contacted by calling the Observer office at (407) 656-2121 or emailing her at [email protected].