Kids to Kids Co-Hosts Literacy Festival, Sets New World Record, at Providence Master Planned Community

On Saturday, April 12, 2008, Kids to Kids co-hosted a successful literacy festival with Providence Master Planned Community. The gathering was open to the public and included free food, games, crafts and family-friendly activities. Just look at those smiles!

A high point of the festival was a series of bed races, with beds decorated by local organizations and businesses. The award for "Fastest Bed" went to the U.S. Marine Corps (Sixth Motor Transport Battalion). Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber and Schreck sponsored the military Hummer-inspired bed.

The winning team (pictured above) included Major Brian Amend, Corporal David Hausautor, Corporal Michael Paavernd, Corporal Jonathan Eck, and Lance Corporal Brandon Biggs.

Nellis Ace Council, racing a Hawaiian-themed bed, sponsored by Sam's Club at Serene, took second place. Third place went to IDC.

Other awards included "Best Decorated Bed," won by IDC. Their entry, "Bedrock Express," was inspired by "The Flintstones." The "People's Choice" award went to the Clark County Fire Department Explorers and the "Most Entertaining" bed award went to Starbucks (North Durango location). The remaining team consisted of members of the Foothill High School YES program wearing storybook character costumes. Khol's Cares for Kids sponsored a bed. Mattress Discounters donated the mattresses for the beds.

One for the Record Books

The event also marked the setting of an inaugural Guinness World Record for "Most People Balancing Books on Their Heads."

The record was set when 139 festival guests simultaneously balanced books on their heads and walked a distance mandated by the Guinness World Record organization.

Record officiators Steven Burnard of the Clark County Fire Department and Officer Mike Lemley of the Metropolitan Police Department, ensured that the strict requirements of the record were enforced. (The books could be no smaller than 9 inches by 5.9 inches, and participants had to walk 16.4 feet or more for the record to be valid.)

The photo below memorializes the actual Guinness World Record being set.

Representatives from the Guinness World Record will validate the record, and Kids to Kids will take its place in the record books.

It's Truly Takes a Community

The festival continued with readings by local authors, including Mary Schwartz and Barbara Ciarlantini, authors of "The Handy Girls Can Fix It," Eric Blank (below, left) who wrote "The Success of Robert Fitzgibbons," and Dominic Russo (below, center), writer of "Lonely Lazlo." Frank Fiorello (below, right), author of "Pumpkin Patch Kids" and Kirsten Stokes, "Monster Spray," also participated in the festival.

Miss Nevada United States 2007, Brittany Williams, made a surprise visit and read "Rumpelstiltskin"to the audience. She also shared her crown and signed autographs with the delighted children.

Special thanks goes to Providence Master Planned Community for hosting this successful event to benefit Kids to Kids.

Above left, Kids to Kids Executive Director Lisa Habighorst and founder Laurie Hartig show off their cool shades while ensuring the festivities go off without a hitch.

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Photos by Scott Roeben.

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Photos by Scott Roeben.