Anthem event promotes literacy

Sun City Anthem joins Del Webb's Drive for Literacy promotion with a special event today at the Henderson age-qualified community.

In observance of International Literacy Day, guests visiting the community between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. can test drive a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis and promote literacy at the same time. Ten books will be donated to First Book, a program benefiting low-income families, by Random House Children's Books and Mercury for each test drive.

In addition, the first 500 people who test drive a car will receive a gift bag.

The campaign features a 6,250-mile trek across the nation with stops at 10 Del Webb communities. It started July 13 at Spruce Creek Country Club in Florida and will end Sept. 21 at Sun City Palm Desert in California.

Educators Bonnie and James Everett, Sun City Anthem residents, have been selected to participate in the journey. They will drive a Grand Marquis from their home to Sun City Lincoln Hills near Sacramento, Calif.

"We wanted to volunteer to do something for the kids," Bonnie Everett said.

Bonnie Everett taught special needs children in Albuquerque, N. M., for 20 years. James Everett was a faculty member of the University of New Mexico's department of special education.

"Family literacy is extremely important," Bonnie Everett said.

Literacy is defined as "the ability to read, write, speak and understand English, and to compute and solve problems." An estimated 18 percent of Las Vegas' adult population functions at the lowest level of literacy proficiency.

After moving to Las Vegas in 1992, the Everetts taught at Clark County schools. They also helped organize a literacy program and taught at Child Haven, a facility for abused, neglected and abandoned children in the community.

The Everetts returned to Albuquerque in 1997 before moving to Sun City Anthem in December 2000.

To visit the community, take Eastern Avenue south, past St. Rose Parkway, to Anthem Parkway and turn left. Drive 1 1/4 miles to Alexandria Drive and turn right. The sales office is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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