October 15, 2007

The third SMART Scrabble Festival is scheduled for Nov. 3 at Westside Elementary School.

Start Making A Reader Today is a youth literacy program in all Hood River County School District elementary schools.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; players should plan to gather starting about 9:30 a.m.

Entry fee is $25; players gather pledges and per-point donations from supporters, and then play three games for fun and competition. Local businesses provide prizes. Students 14 and up are eligible to play, for $10. For details, and to pick up a packet, call Kirby Neumann-Rea at 386-1234.

The SMART program began five years ago in Hood River County, and shifted to a locally managed program in February 2004.

Volunteers come in once per week to read with students in kindergarten through third grade. Each student gets to take home two new books each month. Volunteers are needed for SMART. Reading with children starts in mid-October. Background checks are required, at no cost, and a brief training is involved. If you would like to volunteer, ask for the coordinator at the school of your choice:

• Cascade Locks — Anne Holmstrom

• May Street — Kym Zanmiller

• Mid Valley — Kristen Walrod

• Parkdale — Barb Frasier

• Pine Grove — Suzie Wells