Seuss-athon to celebrate child literacy

The event is the beginning of more to come

The March 30 event will look at Dr. Seuss’s works and legacy while encouraging young readers.

Lake Erie College is making strides to expand the scope of its literacy advocacy with a series of events which kicks off with a birthday celebration for beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.

The March 30 Seussathon is not only a celebration of his works and legacy, but a chance to encourage young readers to start turning the pages to books of their own.

To get children into the spirit, the event will host multiple stations where volunteers will be reading various Seuss stories, including Spanish language readings available to further the event’s community outreach.

Many of the volunteer readers will be students within the college’s educational department, according to Dean of Events Katherine Delavan.

“We want our students, who are going to be teachers, to be able to know how to reach out to the community effectively and to create a stronger relationship between the college and the local community so kids feel welcome to the campus,” she said.

The event had a former life more than a decade ago when it ran for three consecutive years under the auspices of the CARES Coalition, but then the agency dissolved. It was not until they decided to revive the event in 2019 that planners realized it had been a full 10 years since it was last conducted.

Held at the local St. Mary’s church in years past, the Painesville college wanted to expand the scope and reach of the event for 2019 by relocating to its own campus. The Seussathon is positioned as the spring counterpart to the college’s Storytelling Harvest held in the fall.

Each event has its own theme, but both are literacy advocacy efforts that Delavan seeks to build upon.

“Our hope is to have three to four more of these events every year,” she said. “We’re just deciding what the best focus is going to be.”

The event will feature raffle prizes and each child in attendance will take home a complimentary Dr. Seuss book. In addition to the numerous reading stations, performer Robin Echols Cooper will be present an interactive reading of Dr. Seuss.

The volunteer readers will be sporting slumber party fashion and children who attend are welcome, but not required, to similarly wear pajamas to the event.

The March 30 Seussathon is free to the public and being held at Lake Erie College’s James F. Lincoln Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, contact 440-296-1856.