Last month I learned about a great organization – Ride for Reading. Cyclists from all over Nashville met at Green Fleet Bikes and we loaded our backpacks and bikes with donated books to take to the children at the McFerrin Community Center. We biked about four miles around East Nashville and arrived at the community center to a crowd of excited kids. We looked at books, ate popsicles, and had a great time.
From the Ride for Reading website: “Our mission is to promote literacy and healthy living by donating books via bicycle to children from low-income areas. Since our start in February 2008, RfR has donated more than 400,000 books, delivering them by bicycle to kids at Title I schools.”
We got to spend time with the kids, who loved having grownups (even sweaty ones!) to talk to and look at bikes and read books. As things got kicked off, the Rfr representative had the kids say a pledge that they would read their book twice, pass it to someone else they know, and be the best student for the rest of the year.
Ride for Reading is in Nashville and San Antonio, Texas. If you find yourself in either area, join up with this great group. Even if you aren’t big on bikes, you can always drop off books at their donation sites around town – including Cumberland Transit!
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