ARF--See you in September!

School's out for summer and the wonderful ARF (Animals + Reading = Fun) program at the Santa Barbara Library takes a vacation.Tucker and I treasured our time on Tuesday afternoons when we were read to by young readers of all ages and capacities.On Tuesday afternoons I would don my purple ARF T-shirt and Tucker his dashing purple neck scarf and we would wander across the street to the Central Library. Down the stairs we went with excitement increasing with each step. Who would show up? What stories would we hear? In what ways would we be of service to a young reader?We would spread out our purple blanket and get to hang out and be witness to the miracle of a young one learning to read. The children's commitment to practicing and mastering a skill that will transform their lives was inspiring. So many times we didn't want the time to end--we wanted to know the end of the story!We met so many wonderful children and other volunteer teams. The librarians did a marvelous job of helping young readers find just the right books for their interest and abilities, and the library staff was warm and welcoming.Thanks Karen Stevens and All for Animals -- Santa Barbara! Thanks Santa Barbara Library librarians and staff! Thanks kids for showing up!See you in September!Team Tucker and Teresa (who doesn't love alliteration?)