On Saturday, April 11, Veterans Park in Porterville, Calif., was filled with children and their parents celebrating the 25th anniversary of Porterville Celebrates Redding.
The annual community event emphasizes the importance of reading and writing. Schools and community groups come together each year to promote reading and literacy, even to the youngest children. Each child then chooses a free book to add to their home library.
Patience Christenson, a member of the Porterville Ward of the Porterville California Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been chairing the event since 2022.
“Our local Relief Society sisters have been participating in the Porterville Celebrate Reading since its inception around 1993, and it was chartered by the city in 2000, so I’m just continuing the tradition they started,” Christenson said.
The late founder Margaret Slattery believed that reading and writing began at home, and her goal was for every child to have their own home library. Christenson said two of her friends, Debbie Stockton and Katherine May, are also members of the church and are very involved in the event.
Literacy has long been a priority for Relief Society. In 1991, Relief Society began a literacy program targeting at-risk communities. And a list of 25 ways women can participate in Relief Society’s global efforts to care for women and children includes these suggestions:
Supporting literacy and education for women and children by identifying and combating barriers in communities. Help children read aloud. Nothing improves a child’s cognitive abilities like reading with an adult who cares about them.
Each year, the Porterville Reading Event features booths from local schools, nonprofits, and community organizations that are completely free to all attendees. Upon arrival, children will be given a red “passport” shaped like a stop sign to match the “Stop and Read” event logo.
Children wander from booth to booth, listening to stories and participating in crafts and activities. After each booth, a hole is punched in your passport. Once you have your 8 hole punch, you can go to your home library and pick up some free books.
“This year, 38 booths participated and 475 passports were submitted,” Christenson said. “Even though the children heard many of the same books, each one sounded different and learned something specific to their own lives. So in four hours, the children heard 3,800 books.”
Christenson, who has six children and teaches music, joined Porterville Celebrates Readings as a young mother and remained active. She also served on the city’s Library and Literacy Commission.
“I love reading,” she said. “I know the importance of reading and writing and how people can educate themselves, especially those who have no access to formal education. We can improve our lives through the knowledge we gain from books.”
In an email to Church News, Christenson quoted Sister Mary N. Cook, then first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, speaking in April 2012 general conference, saying, “The knowledge you have now will be of great benefit to you when you become a mother.”
Christenson said, “Every mother wants what’s best for her children, but I want what’s best for my community. That’s another reason I continue to help coordinate this event.”
Her husband, children, in-laws and extended family also help with the event, which has become something of a family tradition, but more than that, she said. The Church teaches everyone to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and serve in our homes, wards, and communities.
“When I serve within my community, I know I am serving my Heavenly Father,” Christenson said. “I know that my children are learning to serve. Even if one child discovers a love of reading and learning through this event, I am so grateful for this opportunity to spread the joy of learning and serve the community. And my family is blessed with the benefits.”
