Coronado will declare Oct. 23 as United Through Reading Day, recognizing the nonprofit that connects military families through shared storytime.
The organization has reached more than 4.4 million military family members since it was founded in 1989, according to its website. City representatives will present the proclamation during United Through Reading's (UTR) annual Storybook Soirée, a fundraising gala set for 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at the Coronado Community Center's Nautilus Room, 1845 Strand Way.
The event was first reported by the Coronado Times.
NBC 7 San Diego anchor Catherine Garcia will emcee the evening. Gold Star Spouse Mikale Chambers and Arlene Ventimiglia, Ed.D., a military spouse, educator and researcher, will speak as featured guests.
The program includes a cocktail reception and dinner, followed by storytelling, a live auction and a Raise the Paddle fundraising segment. Proceeds will fund UTR's storytime recording app, Mobile Story Stations and global book distribution.
"Every day, United Through Reading helps military families bridge the distance created by service," CEO Carrie Valentine Fuller said in a statement. "The Storybook Soirée is a celebration of that connection, and a reminder that something as simple as reading a book together can make an extraordinary difference for a child."
The San Diego-based nonprofit lets deployed service members and veterans record themselves reading aloud through a free app. Each recording comes with a free print book sent to the family. UTR says it has distributed more than 800,000 books to Story Stations, community events and military base libraries. More than 600,000 recorded stories have been shared worldwide.
The organization holds a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
Individual tickets cost $200. Table sponsorships are $1,500. Guests can also purchase a $200 "Donate a Seat to a Service Member" ticket. Details and registration are available at unitedthroughreading.org/storybook.
