United Through Reading

The Army Wife Network featured a story on its podcast yesterday about the wonderful group United Through Reading. The subject of the podcast was surviving military separation, and one segment was an interview with United Through Reading's president, Sally Ann Zoll. United Through Reading works with the USO and directly with deployed or soon-to-deploy military units, providing the opportunity for servicemen and women to be videoed reading a story to their children. The video is then sent to the child, who, by taking the book out of the library or receiving his/her own copy where possible, has the opportunity to participate in one of the things that research (and millions of parents' personal experience) tells us is one of the great bonding moments in families. One soldier has read one hundred books to his children! The books range from "Goodnight Moon" to chapters of Harry Potter. United Through Reading also works with other people separated from their children, including prison inmates and grandparents who don't have the opportunity to visit. This is such a good idea, and United Through Reading has become my favorite charitable group.