Greetings District 6000 Rotarians:  As your District Governor this Rotary Year of 2006-07, I want you to know that the District is launching a major thrust for literacy under the guidance of the District Literacy Promotion Committee.  This Committee is charged with the objective to identify ways to improve literacy and to support District 6000 literacy initiatives.

I do heartily endorse this new District 6000 Literacy Campaign titled "Rotarians for Reading - Reach Out and Read."

At an October 28, 2006 press conference First Lady Christie Vilsack donated $30,000 to Iowa's Reach Out and Read program and recalled Rotary's comparable donation that helped launch her Stories 2000 project. Then District Governor-Elect Diana Reed, representing Rotary District 6000, announced Rotary's plan to also support Reach Out and Read by matching Vilsack's gift.

The Literacy Promotion Committee will be contacting your club soon to schedule a club program about Reach Out and Read.  Please join Georgia and me in contributing to the campaign.

I am proud that Rotary is once again "Leading the Way" to promote literacy.

Del Bluhm DG D-6000 and Georgia