The Rutherford County Imagination Library – Books from Birth plans to host a Storybook Breakfast presented by Murfreesboro Medical Center Pediatrics and ENT on Saturday, Feb. 29 at Overall Creek Elementary. The event will feature book character photo opportunities, breakfast from Chick-fil-a and other activities for kids of all ages.

Proceeds from this event will directly benefit Imagination Library recipients in Rutherford County. 

"It costs approximately $120 for a child to receive all of the books in the Imagination Library," said Amy Painter, United Way's Director of Grant Writing. "Half of that amount must be raised locally in our community."

Painter went to explain that the Governor's Foundation provides half of the funding for the program, but the other half must be raised by a sustaining partner in each community. Locally, the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties serves as the sustaining partner.

Brannon Mangus, M.D., MMC ENT physician said in regard to Murfreesboro Medical Clinic's support of the event, "Hearing and speech is our mission. Supporting Books from Birth gives MMC ENT another avenue to help children in our community further language development."

Aaron Ward, M.D., MMC Pediatrician also added, "As pediatricians we promote the health and development of children. By supporting an early literacy program like Books From Birth, we are able to make an impact on the early development and academic success of children in our community. In addition to the educational benefits, early literacy programs, through caregiver-child interaction, provide healthy together time for families and create greater emotional closeness among families."

Enrollment is currently the highest it's ever been with more than 15,000 children enrolled in the program from Rutherford and Cannon counties. When you support your local Imagination Library, you are directly helping a young family set a solid foundation for their children both in school and in life. Getting a book in the mail each month keeps the excitement alive and encourages families to read together.

• Reading to a child in an interactive style raises a child's IQ by 6 points.
• Research shows that children who are read to regularly at home hear twice as many words every year and have 1/3 larger vocabulary by age three than children who are not read to at home.
• Children who have not developed basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3 - 4 times more likely to drop out in later years.

Thank you to our sponsors Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Pediatrics and ENT, Republic Services, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee State University College of Education, Nashville Parent, Dr. and Mrs. James Calder, Andy Womack | State Farm, The Avenue Murfreesboro, and Murfreesboro Chick-fil-a.

Tickets for the event are $15 a person, with a $60 household maximum and can be purchased at www.yourlocaluw.org/PARENTRESOURCES.

For more information about sponsoring the Storybook Breakfast, contact Kristen Swann at Kristen.Swann@yourlocaluw.org or 615-893-7303. For more information about Books from Birth, visit www.yourlocaluw.org/booksfrombirth