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Ray & Joan Kroc Center
by Monica B. Armstrong –
What do you get when you add children + parents + seniors + the San Diego Natural History Museum + Sunbelt Publications? At the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in San Diego, it all adds up to one fabulous intergenerational educational program that attracted nearly 3,000 people in its first year.
Add a magnificent $10,000 contribution from the Army’s long-time partners, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and you have all the ingredients for a second exciting year of Family Literacy Nights, a series of evenings that bring neighborhood families together to learn about science—and build their home libraries.
The vice chairman of the San Diego Metropolitan Advisory Board serves as director of Fleet Services for SDG&E. On Monday, October 25, 2004, Mr. Richard Wagner continued his string of good works on behalf of the Army in San Diego by attending Family Literacy Night. He wasn’t able to stay for the San Diego Natural History Museum presentation on Spiders! but before he left, Wagner presented Captain Neil Navarro with a $10,000 check to fund the program. In making the gift, he stated, “SDG&E values the good work The Salvation Army does throughout our community and are pleased to be a partner in this very successful educational endeavor that improves literacy by serving kids, their families, and the neighborhood.”
Family Literacy Nights, the brainchild of Dr. Roseann Rinear, education director at the Kroc Center, enhances the lives of children, families and senior citizens:
• Children learn about natural science from Museum docents and spend meaningful, educational time with their families. They also benefit from arts and crafts related to scientific topics.
• Families benefit from a free family-oriented event that engages children of all ages. The free book giveaway helps build family libraries.
• Seniors trained to read to children and guide them during the science portion of the evening benefit by partnering with young people in the community for a fun evening of reading and learning.
The Salvation Army values SDG&E’s work in the community and its support for the Kroc Center’s Family Literacy Nights. The Army thanks—and salutes San Diego Gas & Electric Company