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First Annual R.E.A.D.® Week

Utah Governor Olene Walker is slated to declare May 17 - 21, 2004 as the first annual Reading Education Assistance Dogs® (R.E.A.D.) Week here in Utah.

This wonderful opportunity for Intermountain Therapy Animals was made possible by Jeannie Watanabe, ITA Pet Partner® and Board of Directors member who works in the Governor's Office and who negotiated this with the Governor and her staff. She also worked with the organizers of the Salt Lake Community College Children's Book Festival to bring about the opportunity for Governor Walker to read the declaration there on May 21st at the festival opening. The declaration reads as follows:

     Whereas, reading provides children with an essential foundation for success;

     Whereas, the Intermountain Therapy Animals Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program strives to improve the literacy skills of children through the mentoring assistance of nationally registered Pet Partner.® reading teams;

     Whereas, certified R.E.A.D. therapy dogs help children become less self-conscious and more confident oral readers; and

     Whereas, children have improved their reading skills through this unique and enjoyable program in more than 25 Utah schools and libraries in Utah with R.E.A.D. programs;

     Now, Therefore, I, Olene S. Walker, governor of the state of Utah, do hereby declare May 17 - 21, 200, as the first annual

Reading Education Assistance Dogs Week

Governor Walker has met Sandi Martin, ITA R.E.A.D.'s Founder, and other ITA members previously and heard about the R.E.A.D. Program. R.E.A.D. dovetails beautifully with her own commitment to have every child in Utah be read to for 20 minutes a day. This is a perfect confluence of mission, expertise and opportunity.

Created: May 11, 2004 by Intermountain Therapy Animals

Other R.E.A.D.® press and articles

Other R.E.A.D.® News and Information

bullet   The R.E.A.D. Brochure
Download the R.E.A.D. brochure here (Adobe Acrobat, 117 KB)

bullet   The R.E.A.D. Training Package

bullet  Press and Articles
A page of references to recent press and articles about Reading Education Assistance Dogs.

bullet  Links
Links to other Reading Education Assistance Dogs and literacy resources on the Internet.

bullet  R.E.A.D. Photos
Photos of Reading Education Assistance Dogs at work.

R.E.A.D.® Program Contacts:
For more information about R.E.A.D., please contact Intermountain Therapy Animals at 801-272-3439.