News Release

10/04/2006
James Earl Jones Delivers Powerful Literacy Message and $65,000 Grant to RI

Verizon Yellow Pages literacy advocate James Earl Jones was in Rhode Island at Providence Public Library’s Knight Memorial Library on October 3 to deliver a message about the importance of reading and share news of significant funding to help continue efforts to get books into the hands and homes of young readers across the state. Jones participated in a special Books Are Wings party to announce and celebrate a $65,000 grant from Verizon Yellow Pages to the statewide organization for the continuance of its mission.

Jones, the voice of such memorable movie characters as Star Wars’ Darth Vader and The Lion King’s Mufasa, spoke to the several hundred children and adults gathered about his personal challenges growing up with a stuttering problem and how reading aloud helped him to overcome it. He read Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, by Eric Kimmel.

"I’ve always loved reading," said Jones. "That’s because when you open the covers of a new book, you never know where you’ll be going. But there was a time when I didn’t think I’d ever be able to read out loud … that I’d always have to read silently to myself."

"You see, when I was a little boy, I had a stuttering problem." Jones recounted how a teacher challenged him to read aloud in class a poem he’d written and this is what led to his overcoming his stuttering.

Founded in 2001 by Elizabeth Dennigan (RI House of Representatives), Books Are Wings has distributed nearly half a million free books to children across Rhode Island at book parties at libraries and other locations. Committed to literacy initiatives that serve to educate about the importance of reading and help get books into kids’ hands, Verizon Yellow Pages has been a committed Books Are Wings sponsor for five years. Other local Books Are Wings sponsors include Citadel Communications and the CollegeBound Fund.

"Books Are Wings works to improve reading skills by ensuring that families have books in their home and instilling the notion that reading is fun," says Books Are Wings president Monique Renaud. "We are thrilled to receive such strong and ongoing support from major sponsors like Verizon Yellow Pages and from all of our local supporters and contributors."

In presenting Books Are Wings with a $65,000 gift, Todd Sanislow, from Verizon Yellow Pages, spoke about the importance of ensuring that everyone can read and has books to read, as well as the company’s commitment to creating communities of readers.