WASHINGTON (August 18, 2009)—Today, Congressman Ben Chandler visited Red River Health Care to read and distribute books to school children as part of the Reach Out and Read program.

“Reading is a fundamental part of a child’s development,” Chandler said. “It opens doors, opens the imagination, and gives a child a solid foundation for life. The children we saw in Powell County today were so excited about these books, and I hope that excitement about reading continues for them for decades.”

The Reach Out and Read program promotes literacy as a critical part of pediatric primary care.  It serves 3.8 million children annually and distributes over 6 million books each year. In the Sixth Congressional District alone, Reach Out and Read serves over 10,700 children.  On Tuesday, Congressman Chandler participated in Reach Out and Read’s Powell County book giveaway, providing free books to children visiting the clinic.

After reading aloud to the children, Congressman Chandler toured the facility, and met with doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff to discuss healthcare reform currently before the United States Congress.

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