The Iowa City
Bike Library and the University of Iowa Museum of Art are bringing together
bicyclists and books to promote health and literacy in the community. Ride for
Reading (http://www.rideforreading.org)
is a national non-profit that started in Nashville, Tenn., in 2008, to promote literacy and
healthy living among children in low-income communities by giving away donated
age-appropriate books via bicycle.
The inaugural Iowa City
event is Thursday, Sept. 17, at 12:30 pm, when bicyclists will meet at the Neighborhood
Center, 2015 Broaday, Iowa City, to pack their panniers, backpacks, and trailers
with books. Bicyclists will take off at 1 pm for a leisurely group ride geared
for all levels, to deliver the books to Alexander Elementary School, 3571
Sycamore St., Iowa City. Volunteer helpers will be at the school to assist the
schoolchildren pick up a book to take home.
Additional volunteers are
needed both to deliver books and to help out the kids. To sign up to volunteer,
http://www.rideforreading.org/event/national-ride-for-reading-week-2015
The Iowa City event is
part of the national Ride for Reading Week Sept. 13-19. For more information,
contact Beth Nobles, beth-nobles@uiowa.edu,
or Anne Duggan, annem.duggan@gmail.com.