CLEVELAND — Six Little Free Libraries with a special “Dadication” theme, unveiled by the Cavaliers and a host of literacy and fatherhood organizations during the NBA All-Star weekend, will remain behind in Northeast Ohio to promote family literacy long after the games are over.
Presented during a ribbon-cutting event held at the Children’s Museum of Cleveland, the book boxes were given away to top off a series of All-Star fatherhood events presented by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, Fathers Incorporated, Ohio Fatherhood Commission, Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative, Little Free Library, Shooters Paradise and World Reader.
The partners took advantage of the NBA All-Star Weekend to talk directly to fathers and promote a shared message -- that children learn more, perform better in school and have healthier behaviors when their fathers are involved in their education and take time to read with them.
The six Little Free Libraries are a gift to Northeast Ohio funded by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, which operates the fatherhood.gov website. The book boxes have a unique and colorful “Dadication” design that ties in with the NRFC’s new PSA campaign, which encourages fathers to show their “Dadication” by making time for their kids, even when it isn’t easy.
Event organizers said they hope that leaving these Dadication-themed little libraries behind after the All-Star Game will inspire local dads to read regularly with their children and motivate them to make reading time fun by exploring some of the hundreds of Little Free Libraries across Northeast Ohio.
Recipients of the six Little Free Libraries include: Kenneth Clement Boys Leadership Academy in Cleveland; Mayfair Elementary School in East Cleveland; Glendale Primary School in Bedford; and Shalom & Tranquility Garden in Cleveland.
Another of the libraries was presented to the I Promise School in Akron with a special ceremony, followed by a student interviewing Greig Metzger, executive director of Wisconsin-based Little Free Library, in the school’s TV studio.
The sixth library will remain at the Children’s Museum of Cleveland, to support its Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative-funded outreach program which provides free admission and playtime activities for local fathers and their families.
To help keep the book boxes filled, the Little Free Library organization will ship a monthly supply of father-related books to each of the six locations. These will be great titles for dads and kids to take home and read, including LeBron James’ books for kids (“I Promise” and “We are Family”) and Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union’s “Shady Baby”. The monthly shipments, a mix of father-themed titles from independent authors and books written by present and former NBA players, are meant to inspire local dads to enjoy some reading time with their kids.
The Little Free Library giveaway followed a private Fatherhood Town Hall held at Karamu House in Cleveland, attended by students from Cleveland's Kenneth Clement Boys Leadership Academy and their fathers. Guests heard from nationally known speakers including TNT basketball reporter Dennis Scott, a former NBA player himself, who talked about his career and the importance of reading.
WKYC Studios supported all of last week's father-child literacy activities by giving away Dadication-themed bookmarks that gave tips for making reading fun, as part of our ongoing Education Station initiative.
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