First Lady Crissy Haslam Promotes Her Read20 Family Book Club with Military Families in Memphis

Reading event at Memphis Air National Guard Base to encourage military family participation

NASHVILLE – First Lady Crissy Haslam visited with approximately 100 military personnel, family members and children at Memphis Air National Guard Base today to recognize their service and sacrifice, and to encourage their participation in the First Lady’s Read20 Family Book Club.  Today’s visit concluded Mrs. Haslam’s promotional events with military families during the month of July.

“I have really enjoyed visiting with Tennessee military families this month,” said Mrs. Haslam. “Military children face the emotional struggle of being separated from a deployed parent and often deal with challenges in education caused by mobility, family separation, and transition. I am honored to be here today to recognize the sacrifices this group makes to serve our state and our country.”

Mrs. Haslam distributed free copies of July’s Book of the Month, Judy Moody Declares Independence by Megan McDonald. The parents in attendance also participated in a round table discussion with the First Lady to discuss ways to promote quality educational experiences for military children.

“Judy Moody Declares Independence is a great book to read during the month of July, because it is a very fun, patriotic book that includes a lot of character-building and history,” said Mrs. Haslam. “The Read20 Book Club has been a great opportunity to work together to promote early literacy and parent engagement in Tennessee, and I hope that we will have even more families participate in our program next month.”

The First Lady launched her Read20 Family Book Club earlier this summer to highlight the importance of reading and parental engagement in children’s academic lives, by encouraging Tennessee families to read together for at least 20 minutes each day.

For more information about the Read20 Family Book Club visit www.tn.gov/read20, www.facebook.com/CrissyHaslam, follow @Read20TN on Twitter, or go to your local public library.