McDonald's Summer Reading Program Sees record Number of Children

Almost 3000 children attended weekly reading events at local McDonalds restaurant's this summer, topping the previous year's record numbers by more than 30 percent!  "The response this year was overwhelming, but wonderful," said Dena Lodahl, coordinator of the summer reading program.  "We had times when there wasn't enough space left to move around the room," she added with a smile.

Adams Enterprises Tri-Cities, operators of McDonald's restaurants in the Mid-Columbia, has partnered with the Mid-Columbia Reading Foundation for the past eleven years to offer mid-day story times for children and their parents. The program runs for ten weeks each summer and is now presented at four locations in Pasco, Kennewick, and Prosser.  Each weekly hour-long event has a themed story time, often featuring someone from the community, such as a police officer, nurse, or firefigher, reading and interacting with the children. 

Children attending are encouraged to read each week with the promise of a McDOnald's Happy Meal® coupon when they present proof of reading ten books during the week.   All children attending also receive a snack, courtesy of McDonald's, and a free, new children's book from MCRF. A total of 2,920 children received books this summer.

Ronald McDonald also helps out by making an appearance at the first and closing session of the summer.