HATTIESBURG, MISS. – United Way of Southeast Mississippi, in partnership with the Hattiesburg Early Learning Collaborative, hosted a Community Literacy Day on Dec. 14, 2021, at The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County.
About 30 children from the Hattiesburg area attended the event. The kids were treated to an afternoon of reading and crafting that focused on social-emotional health. Local “celebrities” read aloud to those in attendance, including WDAM’s Karrie Leggett Brown, Hattiesburg Police Officer Ebony Jordan, Hattiesburg Firefighter Mystee Dale, State Farm’s Benjamin Smith and William Carey University’s Dr. Teresa Poole.
“Our Community Literacy Day was successful thanks to our community partners, sponsors and volunteers. The kids really enjoyed listening to our guests as they read them stories featuring confidence-building subjects and taking home crafts to help them express their emotions in a healthy way,” said Kari Lynn Somers, Director of Community Impact for United Way of Southeast Mississippi. “Overall, the kids spent their afternoon being reminded how fun reading and learning can be, and we hope they carry that with them.”
Each child also received a free book to take home with them. The event was sponsored by Magnolia State Bank in partnership with the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi.