Community News

Reading Promise Program

 

by: Bill Neessen
Published: October 13, 2025

 

 

ORANGE...The Reading Promise project is one of the Orange Elks marque events!

You might be asking, what is the Reading Promise? The Reading Promise is a promise to provide a book for the students if they promise to read the book. The schools selected are Title 1 schools in the Orange Unified School District. The Reading Promise believes that by placing a brand-new book in the hands of a child who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to own a book.

Committee Chairmen Mike Cash headed a great project to serve the Orange Unified School District (OUSD) Title 1 school families.
 
The lodge received the Beacon and Spotlight grant from the Elks National Foundation to help cover most of the cost of the event.

Matthew Gates is handing out backpacks and school supplies

 

Bob Doberneck is reading to the kids

 

The Reading Promise served around 1100, 125 volunteers from the Elks, 22 members of the Orange H. S. (OHS) girls basketball team.

Our Community Partners were tremendous!

The Kiwanis of Orange server and ran out of hotdogs,

Home Depot supplied building kits,

The Orange Blossoms and the Elks handed out combined school supplies,

Orange GRIP (Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership) handed out drug awareness material,

Chapman Univ. handed out their Bookmark Craft supplies,

Elroy T. Elk was present for pictures,

The OHS Barnyard animals were a big hit,

An Orange City Fire Departments truck,

The Orange County Bird of Prey Center brought birds of prey,

Independent Therapy Dogs were enjoyed by all,

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Inspire the Love of Reading,

Face painting and ballons art was available,

And the Orange Library staff processed library cards