The Spot on Signal is hosting a celebration in honor of the birthday of author Theodore Seuss Geisel (also known as Dr. Seuss) Friday, March 2, which has also been adopted as National Read Across America Day. Guest readers from the community will be at the shop reading a different book each hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Spot on Signal owner Brian West reads "The Lorax" to his daughter Madeline. West is hosting a birthday party for Dr. Seuss at the shop featuring community members reading a different book each hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 2.Guest readers represent a broad range of the community's finest, including everyone from the mayor and the postman to Signal Mountain Playhouse stars, students' favorite school teachers and Mountain Arts Community Center instructors.
Throughout the day children are welcome to come by the shop to hear the stories, eat free birthday cake and participate in games and activities related to Dr. Seuss.
"We're doing everything we can to make it a fun, goofy day," said West, who will also be offering a variety of "Seuss Specials" at the shop during the celebration.
Attendees are asked to bring a new or gently used book to donate to Signal Mountain Social Services. Along with the books collected by the three mountain schools through the annual SMSS book drive Feb. 6-10, the books donated at the Dr. Seuss event will go into the library the organization maintains for its clients.
SMSS Executive Director Mary Lee Ziebold said the books are distributed to clients when they come to address other needs.
"They might need clothes, but the kids can walk out of there with a fun book," said West.
Ziebold said clients are encouraged to share their books with friends and neighbors and bring them back when they finish and exchange them for new books.
"Typically books last throughout the year, so we can continue promoting reading among our clients," she said, adding that leftover books are put into the Christmas baskets SMSS delivers to clients each Christmas.
Bags of books are also given as prizes to members of SMSS' Good Student Club, which Ziebold said is intended to promote good effort, attitude and behavior in its elementary school clients.