Mable Ballenger Library Clerk, West Boulevard Elementary School
	Eliot Battle Educator, Battle Group
	Muriel Battle Educator, Battle Group
	Gerald T. Brouder President, Columbia College
	Melissa Carr Director, Daniel Boone Regional Library
	Robert Craghead Mayor, City of Fulton
	David Franta Executive Director, Columbia Area United Way
	Sarah Hill Anchor/Reporter/Producer, KOMU-TV
	Cindy Mustard Director, Voluntary Action Center
	Scott Orr Chairman of the Board, Jonesburg State Bank
	Sherod Santos Director, Center for Literary Arts
	Richard Wallace Chancellor, University of Missouri-Columbia
	Henry J. Waters Editor and Publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune
	Jack Waters Columbia Daily Tribune

Mable Ballenger
Library Clerk, West Boulevard Elementary School

"To bring together people from different backgrounds and get them talking is always good."

Eliot Battle
Educator, Battle Group

"When I was growing up I recall all of my elementary teachers by name. One other person I well remember was the librarian of the neighborhood branch public library. Reading was important to our family. My brothers, sisters and I spent many of our growing up hours in the library. The librarian knew the type of books that each of us enjoyed and frequently selected books for each of us. How do I feel about reading? 'Reading is part of who I am.'"

Muriel Battle
Educator, Battle Group

"When I was growing up my father never allowed us to complain about being bored. He insisted that we were responsible for keeping our minds busy. And, carrying a book with you at all times best did this. We had a book when we finished an assignment at school ahead of time. We had a book when we waited for a dental or doctor's appointment or waited to be picked up. The secret for me was to find a book that held my interest; I love reading about people and places."

"I tend to follow certain authors. I also enjoy reading for information. The other day when a child asked after observing baby fish in the pond--"how are baby fish born?" I remembered enough of my junior high school biology to give a sketchy answer. But I was not satisfied with my answer. So, I rushed home and got our encyclopedia. Soon I was reading for information and enjoying it immensely."

"Now if I'm asked the question again I have enough information to explain it to a small child or an adult. How do I feel about reading? Reading is a part of who I am."

Gerald T. Brouder
President, Columbia College

"Reading is the conveyor that carries nutrients to the soul. The make-up of
those nutrients is multifaceted and complex. We prefer to read for pleasure
and to acquire information, but at times what we read disturbs or even
shocks us. Everyone, at one time or another, has laughed or cried at things
we have read."

"What makes reading essential is our need to understand life. Whether
reading to learn or simply to "escape" into a good book, no matter the
motivation, reading is both important and fun."

"As a society we place a great deal of emphasis on early childhood reading.
It has been proven that the more parents read to their children at an early
age, the greater the probability that those children will not only read early
themselves, but will perform well above average in their schoolwork. The
key is to cause children to discover the magic of reading and the rest is easy."

"In this era of sound bites, predigested news and books on tape, it is
important that we rediscover the true nature and benefits of reading. I
congratulate those involved in the One Read Program, the intent of which
is to foster community while at the same time enjoying the art of good
reading. The program will serve to elevate reading to greater prominence
and beneficially engage a number of citizens in an activity of great value.
I am very pleased to support wholeheartedly the One Read Program."

Melissa Carr
Director, Daniel Boone Regional Library

"Our hope for One Read is that it will give this community of readers a vehicle for sharing their ideas and love of reading. The response to One Read throughout the community has been overwhelming, and it seems nearly everyone we talk to wants to be a part of this program."

Robert Craghead
Mayor, City of Fulton

"I congratulate the library for promoting the "One Read" program. This will challenge adults to do more reading."

David Franta
Executive Director, Columbia Area United Way

"Reading is one of the most fun, stimulating joys of my life. Whether it be
a newspaper...local news, sports, astronomy, lots of interesting info...or
a spy novel or a promotion of the health benefits of a cereal on the back
of the box, good reading expands my horizons, inspires my spirit and
reduces the sometimes stressful moments of life. Reading is one of God's
blessings and a skill necessary to a fulfilling life."

Sarah Hill
Anchor/Reporter/Producer, KOMU-TV

"Good books are like movies for the mind---acted out in your own
imagination. In the theatre of reading, you don't need a ticket or popcorn
and there's always an unobstructed view."

Cindy Mustard
Director, Voluntary Action Center

"I truly believe that books are life’s greatest treasures. I usually have two or three books I am reading at any one time, however, it is the books of my childhood and school years that have seemed to make the biggest impact on my life. Who can ever forget Eloise at the Plaza, Holden Caulfield, Huck Finn, Tiny Tim, Gatsby, Holly Golightly, Scarlet, Rhett, or even Nancy Drew? Where else but in the pleasures of a good book can you travel and explore Treasure Island, Never, Never Land, Sleepy Hollow, Wonderland, a Secret Garden, Main Street, USA, the Wayside Inn, the Land of Oz, and the hamlet of Hannibal, Missouri. Books are for everyone and I encourage every single person to settle down with a good book and enjoy one of life’s greatest treasures."

Scott Orr
Chairman of the Board, Jonesburg State Bank

The books that have had the most impact on my life are, "101 famous poems, the wonderful philosophy of Kipling's 'If' and Henleys 'Invictus' and beauty and music of Poe's 'Anabelle Lee' and others have inspired and brought me comfort for years."

Sherod Santos
Director, Center for Literary Arts

"As everyone knows, different kinds of reading require different kinds of attention, and some reading requires no attention at all. But then, as well, in the course of a lifetime we encounter certain books that affect us so deeply that we hardly remember them as “reading,” but more like the raw material of experience itself. To paraphrase Kafka, such books take an axe to the frozen sea inside us, and in so doing they teach us something far more important than their contents alone. They teach us how to talk to ourselves, they awaken us to the mystery of our inner lives, they make us less alone in our solitude."

Richard Wallace
Chancellor, University of Missouri-Columbia

"As an educator I am pleased to be involved with the One READ program. Having the community read the same book at the same time creates a point of common interest that helps break down the barriers that sometimes divide us. Although the act of reading is often a solitary pursuit, it is through the discussion of literary works that we discover a deeper, richer understanding of humanity."

Henry J. Waters
Editor and Publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune

"When I was growing up we had far fewer options for entertaining ourselves. A fairly brief time developing the reading habit got me started. After that, I
looked forward to the stories that now have become classics but then seemed
to me no more than the latest fun. Even today, those same titles captivate
children who start turning the pages. I still remember Swiss Family
Robinson, Alice in Wonderland, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn as if I had
finished them yesterday."

Jack Waters
Columbia Daily Tribune

"Reading has given me:
...magic moments with my two girls reading books at bedtime;
...the knowledge to rebuild the engine on my boat;
...a means to enjoy my father's editorials and my brother's news reports;
...instructions to safely use medicines and other tools of life;
...the opportunity to learn accounting and pass my certification exam;
...beautiful messages in love notes from my wife."

"To learn, to be entertained, to understand, to participate in life, to be
complimented, to share sorrow, to be effective in life and useful to those
around me . . . all these gifts flow from my ability to read, an ability as
significant to me as sight or hearing though equally taken for granted.
Reading is, without a doubt, an essential part of my life."