WAYNESBORO–Students in the Waynesboro Area School District have an opportunity to get a free book and watch a movie in downtown Waynesboro this summer.
Read, Watch – Awesomesauce is a challenge sponsored by the Waynesboro Community Theatre Project and the Waynesboro Theatre and funded by the Nora Roberts Foundation to celebrate reading, movies, and learning a thing or two or three.
Doug Tengler, who helped launch the new program, said it is a way to help promote literacy – kids are encouraged to read the book first – and the reward is they get to see a movie at a reasonable price.
Tengler said the idea for funding for the program evolved after a conversation with Connie Francis, founder and coordinator of the Antietam Humane Society’s Shelter Buddies Volunteer Reading Program. “That program is supported by the Nora Roberts Foundation, as well as personal donations from the community,” according to Tengler, who wrote a grant application in October and was awarded a full grant from the foundation in December.
Following meetings with Bill Kohler, director of economic development of Main Street Waynesboro Inc., and Kristyn Martin, who both serve with Tengler on the board of the Waynesboro Theatre, the books, ”Cat in the Hat,” for 3- to 7-year-olds, “James and the Giant Peach,” for 8- to 12-year-olds and “Holes,” for 9- to 13-year olds were selected.
A fourth book, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” for 6 to 10-year-olds funded by an anonymous donor, has been added to the program.
Books will be distributed at the theater (one per family while supplies last) in advance of the movie showing to give children enough time to read the book, Tengler said. Tickets to the movie will be available on book distribution nights for $3 each that includes admission, popcorn and a drink.
The schedule is as follows:
“Cat in the Hat” books distributed from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, with the movie shown at 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, June 26
“James and the Giant Peach” books distributed from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, with the movie shown at 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, July 17
“Holes” books distributed from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, with the movie shown at 2 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14
“The Spiderwork Chronicles” book distributed from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 7, with the movie shown at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24.
“We hope to make this an annual event if we can get the grant in the future,” Tengler noted. “It has taken a while to get this far.” Tengler also thanked employees at Waynesboro Area School District for helping to get the word out and distributing fliers about the program to the classrooms.
For more information, visit Facebook: WASD Be the Village or Waynesboro Theatre
