Monday, October 3, 2011, Napa, Calif.—Napa County Reads invites you to attend its annual reception and program fundraiser on Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 at the Napa Valley Opera House. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., meet Suzanne Morgan Williams, 2011's featured author of Bull Rider, bid on artwork, and eat local barbeque as Napa County Reads celebrates its 10th anniversary of bringing outstanding young adult literature to students countywide.
Bull Rider is an upper-grade novel about the loss and grief brought on by war. 14-year-old Cam O'Mara is a ranch kid from the sage brush country of central Nevada. He is a skateboarder—not a champion bull rider like his brother Ben—but when Ben joins the Marines and is seriously injured in Iraq, Cam turns to his family traditions, and in particular bull riding, to overcome his grief and to give his brother hope for a new life.
Part of Arts Council Napa Valley's ARTS 2011 Celebration, the Napa County Reads Reception is a chance to bring the fun back into reading. Guests are invited to enjoy musical performances by California Zephyr, participate in a barbeque contest, and bid on the locally made artwork during the night's silent auction. Students who have read Bull Rider will even be given a special chance to ride a mechanical bull. 100% of the night's proceeds benefit future literacy programming. “Napa County Reads helps foster a love of reading because everyone is reading, talking about, and sharing the same book, including many adults in the community," explains Barbara Nemko, Superintendent of Napa County Schools.
Arts Council Napa Valley brought an artistic component to the literacy program in 2007. Because the story is set in Salt Lick, and salt is significant to the characters, the Arts Council asked local artists, Napa High School ceramics students, and the residents of Vine Village to create salt and pepper shakers of all shapes and sizes for this October's silent auction. Materials used to create the shakers range from rope to resin. Artwork bids will start at $25.00. Tickets for the Napa County Reads Reception and Silent Auction are available for purchase at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults, and free for students and veterans.
Napa County Reads is co-partnered by Napa County Office of Education (NCOE) Napa City-County Library and Arts Council Napa Valley (ACNV). To learn more about ACNV's educational art programming, visit: www.artscouncilnapavalley.org. For Napa Valley ARTS '11 information, visit: www.nvarts.org.
About Arts Council Napa Valley
ACNV is a non-profit arts organization that supports and connects the local creative community in Napa County. Since it was founded in 1980, ACNV has grown into an important stakeholder and industry partner in Napa Valley. ACNV is proud to present two annual month-long arts programs: October Napa Valley ARTS month, celebrating the vibrant arts and cultural community throughout the Napa Valley, and Legendary Napa Valley Arts In April showcasing The Napa Valley Collection, exploring the magic that occurs when fine wine connects with arts and culture. For more information or to join ACNV and support the local arts community, please visit www.artscouncilnapavalley.org.
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Contact: Christy Bors
Programs Assistant
Arts Council Napa Valley
christy [at] artscouncilnv [dot] org
(707) 257-2117 x 1
