Greater Mankato Area United Way hosts 10th Annual Reading Festival

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The Greater Mankato Area United Way hosted their 10th Annual Reading Festival for pre-K-3rd graders.

400 attendees came out to the Mankato Family YMCA blue gym to promote reading and literacy skills among the youth.

This year’s theme was jungle safari.

“It’s really fulfilling,” said Karli Swearingen, Office and Programming Manager for United Way. “And then there’s so many families that we reach through events like this, and I just feel super grateful to be here and to have these free literacy and reading events for our community to be to be a part of.”

Parents and children were able to enjoy a variety of free Capstone Books that focus on different kid-friendly subjects.

Precious Nlemechi, a mother and event attendee who brought her daughter, appreciates the representation the books show.

“Some of them talk about diversity,” said Nlemechi. “Some of them [are] talking about being uniquely you, [which is] what I teach my daughter to be: uniquely her; not to copy someone else, but making sure that, you know, she’s finding her own self within this community.”

This event also featured vendors from 20 local organizations and offers activities for the kids to enjoy.

Blue Earth County Library was also present, to promote their upcoming programs.

“I’ve always been a bit of a book nerd, a bookworm, voracious reader, and I really love working with children,” said Natasha Otteson, Youth Services Librarian for Blue Earth County Library. “They are so creative and so inspiring, and they have such fantastic ideas and I want to help foster that love of learning within them and within our community.”

The Capstone Organization donated over 2000 books for Saturday’s reading event.

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