post ride release

Jean Dean Reading Is Fundamental P.O. Box 848 Opelika, AL (334) 749-5631 www.jeandeanrif.org

News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 5, 2010

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Cathy Dean Gafford Executive Director Office: (334) 749-5631 Fax: (334) 741-0510 jeandeanrif@bellsouth.net

RIDE TO READ EVENT RAISES $5,000 FOR JEAN DEAN RIF On June 12, motorcycle riders came to Auburn from across the state and surrounding areas to participate in the 2010 Truel Watts Ride to Read Poker Run to benefit Opelika’s Jean Dean Reading is Fundamental (RIF). The annual 60 mile poker run began at Big Swamp Harley Davidson and traveled to Chewacla State Park, Lee County Lake and Shelton Fireworks. This year’s event brought in a record breaking amount of money for the organization that provides books to at-risk preschoolers.

During the event, a silent auction was held. Several items, including a four day trip to Panama City Beach, were auctioned off. All of the proceeds will go to continuing Jean Dean RIF’s work. The riders enjoyed a lunch at Big Swamp provided by Outback Steakhouse.

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Jean Dean RIF’s Ride to Read 2–2–2 The event ran smoothly because of help from volunteers from the Kiwanis Clubs of Opelika, Auburn and Greater Auburn, Circle K groups from Auburn University and Southern Union Community College, Xi Beta Iota chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, the Opelika-Auburn News and other local organizations.

Sponsors of the event included Davis-Dyar, Flowers Baking Company, M&M Trucking, Opelika-Auburn News and Thompson Carriers, among others.

RIF’s Ride to Read was begun by RIF Advisory Board member, Truel Watts. After his death, the event was renamed the Truel Watts Ride to Read to honor the past Kiwanis governor.

Now held annually in Opelika, Advisory Board member Sylvia Watts assists with the event.

Jean Dean RIF is the largest RIF project in the nation and provides more than 75,000 books to more than 25,000 at-risk young children in Head Starts, Even Starts, state sponsored daycares and early intervention sites across Alabama each year. Jean Dean RIF was started in 1990 by Cathy Dean Gafford, Director of Jean Dean RIF, and her father, Joe Dean, as a part of the Kiwanis International Young Children (0-5): Priority One Project and is named in honor of Dean’s wife, Jean Torbert Dean. ###