The 17th annual Cooper Reading Challenge continues to help instill the love of reading in the children of Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley.

CANOGA PARK, CA, USA, December 14, 2023 — The 17th Annual Cooper Reading Challenge, created to help instill the love of reading in children of Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley (BGCWV), had another successful year! The event, held at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Calabasas, started on November 28th and was attended by 184 BGCWV youth over the course of three separate evenings.

In the past 16 years, local individuals and businesses donated more than $80,000 to the program. More than 3,200 children have had the opportunity to select, purchase and enjoy their own books through this program, all funded through community donations.

“We always look forward to this event. We love the excitement and the joy it brings to our members and their families. It is such a great opportunity for the kids to nurture their love of reading and expand their imagination,” shares Geovanny Ragsdale, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley.

In November, Club children read age-appropriate books and wrote a review to qualify for the trip to Barnes & Noble. At the bookstore, each child had $25 to spend on one or more books for themselves or family members. Members of the San Fernando Valley business and civic community donated $25 for each child they wanted to sponsor. 

“Our success is a direct result of community leaders and supporters seeing the value of literacy programs that support youth in their personal and academic lives,” said Martin Cooper, president of Cooper Communications and Emeritus Board Chair of Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley. 

Supporters for this event included SoCal Gas and Barnes & Noble Calabasas, as well as media sponsors, Daily News and Valley News Group. 

According to Geovanny Ragsdale, “literacy is a critical skill,” therefore youth at the Club are encouraged daily to read for at least 15 minutes. Your end of year gifts to the Cooper Literacy Program will continue to support all of the year long programs and activities the Club hosts, including the Cooper Reading Challenge. 

To make your tax-deductible gift online, go to https://bgcwv.org/cooper-literacy-program/ scroll down and fill in the form. Select from our Literacy Program, the Cooper Reading Challenge, or the endowment, which goes to the long-term sustainability of our Literacy Programs. To make your gift by phone, call (818) 610-1054. Checks should be made out to Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley and sent to Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley, 7245 Remmet Avenue, Canoga Park, CA 91303.