Volunteers

Ready to Read volunteers share books with children in the waiting rooms of health clinics, social service agencies, homeless shelters, and Head Start & PEEP classrooms. They introduce children to the joy of reading and model positive reading interactions for parents and caregivers. Become a volunteer.

Introducing Children to the Joy of Reading

Sean Bashaw

I live in Paw Paw with my wife Connie. I work in the Chemistry Department at Western Michigan University repairing equipment and computers. I started with the Ready To Read program in the fall of 2008. ...

Judy Bosshart

Ten years ago I started volunteering for "Ready to Read." I have always loved to read and it was important for me to share my love of books with children. I read to the children on Tuesday at Kalamazoo County Department of Human Services. ...

Gay Guard-Chamberlin

Ten years ago I started volunteering for "Ready to Read." I have always loved to read and it was important for me to share my love of books with children. I read to the children on Tuesday at Kalamazoo County Department of Human Services. ...

Shirley Freeman

I was born and raised in Schenectady, NY and for obvious reasons had to learn to spell early. My husband Jim and I have lived in Kalamazoo for the past 25 years. Our daughter Diane lives and works in Washington DC. Our son Alan is a college student at Lehigh U. And our daughter Lisa will be a junior in high school this fall.  ...

Rachel Higgins

Before getting into my background, I just want to state that I was inspired to volunteer at this particular time because of President Obama's vision for a future America, as a whole community. ...

Jo Jacobs

Though I am a most impressive wide-mouthed frog even that pales in the face of my alligator impersonation. You probably can guess that the alligator eats wide-mouthed frogs! This pop-up book is one of the kids’ favorites and I recommend The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner with illustrations by Jonathan Lambert if you are into dramatic renditions of a book sure to catch your fancy as well as the children’s. ...

Betty Sanford

Ten years ago I started volunteering for "Ready to Read." I have always loved to read and it was important for me to share my love of books with children. I read to the children on Tuesday at Kalamazoo County Department of Human Services. ...

Heidi Turchan

Ten years ago I started volunteering for "Ready to Read." I have always loved to read and it was important for me to share my love of books with children. I read to the children on Tuesday at Kalamazoo County Department of Human Services. ...