On Thursday, my roommate and I volunteered at the Royal Book Ball, an event hosted by the Adult Literacy League at the Callahan Neighborhood Center in Orlando. Partnering with Disney VountEARs, this group put on this reading awareness event for children and their families in the Orlando community to attend where they were able to make bookmarks, have some food, participate in a dance party, and sit in on a story read by a special Disney character.

  Upon arriving we got to meet the staff of the Adult Literacy League and learn more about this organization. They explained to us that their mission is to “ teach parents and grandparents how to read to their children so they become the child’s first and most effective teacher, and supply them with books and learning materials.” After learning more we were then showed all the different stations that the kids could go to. I was put on bookmarks where the kids got to decorate a bookmark and then we got to laminate it for them. I had a lot of guest interactions in this area by being able to draw with the kids and getting to help them create their very own bookmark to take home.

After everyone hit all the stations and got pizza, it was then time for the dance party. At this time we had to break down our station and put everything away and then go assist with crowd control. Once the party was done, we gathered the kids to the front of the stage where Alice from Alice in Wonderland made a special appearance where she got to read to the kids for about 15 minutes. Along with the fun activities they got to participate in, each family was given a new book at the end of the event. This year alone, they have already been able to give the families in their group 8 books to bring home and read.

This was such an amazing event that I got to participate in. Not only was it to help benefit the community and put on something nice for them but the purpose behind encouraging reading to children and to their families at home was truly special. The entire theme of this event was focused on getting both the kids and parents excited about reading. The Adult Literacy League did a wonderful job of hosting this event but with the help of Disney, it helped create that extra magic for the kids. By incorporating Disney themes into the event like giving out Belle stickers with her reading, having Disney Books to hand out to the kids, and having Alice show up made it more exciting for the kids and in return more excited for them to learn about what they were there for.