Celebrity readers entertain day care kids

NEWTON-Tammie Horsfield, president of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, was March's celebrity reader at Little Sprouts Day Care Center, as part of Project Self-Sufficiency's Even Start Family Literacy program. Horsfield read "A Nap in a Lap" by Sarah Wilson, "A Boy and His Bunny" by Sean Bryan, "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?" by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle, and Dr. Seuss's "Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?" In April, Project Self-Sufficiency board member Don Williams and his wife Ruthanne made their appearance as celebrity readers, offering "Ten Red Apples" and "The Doorbell Rang," both by Pat Hutchins. The Celebrity Reader Series began in October 2002 as a way for local celebrities and strong role models from the community to share their love of reading with families participating in the Even Start program and children enrolled at Little Sprouts Day Care Center. In the past two years, Little Sprouts has been visited by Freeholder Susan Zellman; Dr. Brad Gottfried, president of Sussex County Community College; Barry Worman, Sussex County Superintendent of Schools; Carol Viall, owner of Sparta Book Shop; Assemblywoman Alison McHose; Ginnie Littell, former chairwoman of the N.J. State Republican Party and wife of Senator Robert E. Littell; Sussex County Sherriff Robert Untig; Edwina Kirkowski, first lady to the N.J. District Kiwanis; and several players from the New Jersey Cardinals. Even Start is a New Jersey Department of Education funded family literacy program. Eligible families participate in 6 components: GED/ABE/ESL classes, parenting classes, computer skills training, early childhood education, parent and child interactive activities, and family field trips. The program offers free transportation, childcare, meals during class, a weekly stipend for perfect attendance, and the License to Drive program, which provides six hours of driving instruction to help participants obtain their driver's licenses. Project Self-Sufficiency is a nonprofit social service agency serving single parents, teen parents and displaced homemakers. To learn more about the Even Start Celebrity Reader series, or other programs offered by Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-383-5129.