2019 Reading Is Fundamental Program

For Immediate Release:

2019 Gettysburg Optimist RIF Program

The Optimist Club of Gettysburg held its annual Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) dinner meeting on October 16, 2019. Each year the Optimist Club of Gettysburg supports more than 19 youth related programs throughout the Gettysburg area that “Bring Out The Best In Kids.” The RIF program, known by different names at each school, is one of those programs and provides books to approximately 1,700 students in the Gettysburg community.

Representatives from Franklin Township Elementary (Ashley Kunkel), Lincoln Elementary (Valerie Stone), James Gettys Elementary (Allison Symmes & Jennie Harrison), Head Start (Jennifer Nelson), Vida Charter School (Belinda Ray), and St. Francis Xavier School (Jennifer Fleming & Mandy Willard) attended this year’s dinner meeting and gave presentations of their respective book distribution programs. The presentations included the wonderful different ways each school distributed books to their students and provided activities associated with their respective programs for their students.

Throughout the year, the Optimist RIF Committee Chairperson, Lyne Aurand, attended programs at the schools. Each school was presented with a check to help purchase a book for every student in their schools.  $5,000 was distributed from Optimist donations.

About the Gettysburg Optimist Club
The Optimist Club of Gettysburg was chartered in 1958 and continues to be dedicated to providing young people with positive activities and learning opportunities. Club members are men and women who come from all walks of life and who are united in an effort, “To Bring out the Best in Kids!” To learn more about the Optimist Club of Gettysburg and their many programs, activities and a membership opportunity, visit https://gettysburgoptimist.com/, visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OptimistClubofGettysburg?ref=hl or call 717-220-3416.