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Dear friends,
Seattle area Friends of Ethiopia Reads is planning a group to walk or run around Green Lake on Sunday morning, September 19th starting at 9 am. The event is designed to raise awareness and much needed funds for Ethiopia Reads’ work and at the same time for us to enjoy the stroll around the Lake and show our solidarity and support for the cause of children’s literacy in Ethiopia.
In past years, many of you in the Seattle area have supported Ethiopia Reads and your support has made a significant impact on our ability to deliver the goods, pay rent, and salaries of employees. Your support also helped Ethiopia Reads locally print children’s books, including Ready Set Go Books, created and published by Open Hearts Big Dreams https://openheartsbigdreams.org/book-project/, a separate not for profit organization since 2016 with whom Ethiopia Reads collaborates. OHBD has made serious inroads in children’s book publishing, 100+ bilingual titles in English, Amharic, Tigrinya, Afaan Oromo and Somali are available on Amazon and other sites. Ethiopia Reads has printed and distributed a number of these books in a variety of languages to children in Ethiopia through our network of libraries. OHBD has worked to get their Ready Set Go book in a number of libraries globally including the Seattle Public Library to be enjoyed by kids and anyone else interested in them. All books purchased help fund the OHBD Ready Set Go Book Project.
We are proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far, 80 or so libraries mostly in public elementary, middle and high school settings spread out across Ethiopia, two public libraries in Hawassa and Addis Ababa, launched a large Ethiopian multi language books distribution along with a professional development training, held the first ever Children’s Reading Summit and a national professional conference around children’s reading now sponsored by the Ministry of Education, organized many Children’s Reading Festivals, sponsored HOHE Awards and much more. Our goals for the next five years are even bigger and more ambitious, and it takes everyone who has a stake in literacy in Ethiopia to do what he/she can.
In the coming years, what we are trying to accomplish is to continue to engage this hub of serious minded, literacy warriors in the Seattle area through various activities and venues and develop a dedicated volunteer base that will create a more sustainable and consistent support in furthering the Ethiopia Reads programs in country. We believe, the Seattle area has proved itself time again to be a reliable source, excellent foundation, and a great ally as we (Ethiopia Reads Board) double down on our mission around literacy and books and affirm our commitment to invigorate a culture of reading in these generation of Ethiopian children.
Our financial goal is to raise a minimum of $5000 dollars through individual and family sponsorships and direct donations around this event. Children, youth, families and interested individuals can use the sponsorship forms that are available to ask their friends, co-workers, and families to sponsor them for the walk/run around Green Lake in small denominations of $5, $10, $20, and so on. The event is designed not to be financially burdensome to any one person and or family. What we are looking for is small donations from the community, and for us to come together and experience a sense of unity of purpose and have fun in the beautiful surrounding at Green Lake while advancing the cause of literacy in the country and people we all love and cherish. If some people express that they couldn’t make it (participate) because of prior commitment and for any other reason, please ask kindly for donations in any amount.
At the end of the course, we plan on having a picnic with coffee, pastries and fruits while following the CDC guidelines on social distancing and COVID protocols from the Seattle Health department. The same guidelines will be followed during the course, 2.8 miles of the walk/run.
Please come with your friends and family as we launch the first Ethiopia Reads Run/Walk in beautiful Green Lake, Seattle.
