San Diego—Words Alive, a leading San Diego non-profit literacy organization that inspires a committment to reading and develops shared reading experiences for children, youth and adults, is happy to announce that its Annual Authors’ Luncheon raised $105,000. The October 20 event, which was held at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, was part of a yearlong 10th anniversary celebration and honored founder Leslye Winkelman Lyons. The Authors’ Luncheon is the Words Alive signature annual fundraising event and all net proceeds benefit the organization and its essential literacy programs for at-risk children, youth and adults.
“Although the economy is in the midst of a recession, our event was still able to draw a crowd of more than 475 people,” said Marjorie Blitz, board chair, Words Alive. “This shows just how committed our supporters are to supporting our mission and demonstrates how important Words Alive and its programs are to the San Diego community.”
The event featured five-time New York Times best-selling author Chris Bohjalian, an award-winning author best known for his novel, Midwives, a number one New York Times bestseller and an Oprah’s Book Club selection. Kaylie Jones, an established author in her own right, joined Bohjalian as a speaker. Her most recent Novel, Lies My Mother Never Told Me, was published in August 2009.
The event also featured the Words Alive Market Place which included San Diego-based Warwick’s Books, Geppetto’s Toys, LPM Designs, M. Daskal, and artist Cynthia Shemkman, each donating a percentage of the day’s sales to Words Alive. Sandra Mass, the host of KUSI’s Inside San Diego and weekday news anchor for Good Morning San Diego, emceed the event. More than 40 area businesses donated items in support of the raffle, which is always a highlight at the event. The raffle raised more than $9,500 of the $105,000 total.
About Words Alive
Founded in 1999, Words Alive is a non-profit organization that helps underserved, low-income, at-risk children, teens and adults discover how books can add meaning to their lives. Instead of teaching the skill of reading, Words Alive engages and reengages its program participants in the joy of reading with innovative, integrated programs and initiatives with the goal of creating lifelong readers and learners. For more information about Words Alive, its programs, volunteer opportunities, annual Authors Luncheon and giving opportunities, please contact Jennifer Williamson, executive director, at (858) 274-9673, jennifer@wordsalive.org or access our website at www.wordsalive.org.
