The Christ Church Detroit Reading Camp 2013 was a labor of love and one I will choose to co-coordinate every year. It is seven months of planning for a two week activity, but the memories last a lifetime so I guess that is equitable. It evolved from our church hosting meetings to decide “What do we want to be when we grow up”, which is strange because we were born in 1845! We decided on a partnership with Franklin Wright Settlement, a neighboring community center that welcome children of all ages with open arms. Last year, we topped off at 63 children, but this year, we had only 50. A few years back, I joined my sister Susan’s team of planners for the camp. We lived, we learned, we looked ahead to make it a better experience for all. This year, I had multiple meetings with my new co-coordinator Jennie Blair, head of our Christian Ed. department. If you Google the phrase “Follow Up”, Jennie’s picture appears. Together, we developed a two week curriculum that included award winning books, such as The Snowy Day, the language of Swahili and vendors that brought stories and art to our lives. I was blessed to have my whole family involved and they involved their friends and family as well, along with all of the wonderful members of our church. We had over 50 volunteers, but could always use more. My shout out to them for their time and dedication. We look forward with open arms to new volunteers who are looking for an opportunity to give a memorable and cultural experience to the children of Detroit. Email or call me to reserve that spot as of teacher, assistant, artist, story teller, phys. ed. instructor, singer or whatever your talent may be. We will welcome YOU with open arms! Christine M. Galli, M.Ed. 877-824-6229 
