Verizon Holds Children's Book Drive In Several South Carolina Area Stores To Benefit The Children's Museum Of The Upstate

GREENVILLE, SC — Verizon Wireless is accepting new or gently used children’s books at nine Communications Stores from March 10 through March 30 to benefit the early childhood literacy programs hosted by The Children’s Museum of the Upstate. The following Verizon Wireless stores are accepting books until March 30, 2012:

• Anderson, 3513 Clemson Blvd., Anderson, SC 29261
• Congaree Road, 469 Congaree Road, Greenville, SC 29607
• Easley, 5116 Calhoun Memorial Highway, Easley, SC 29640
• East Spartanburg, 2399 East Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307
• Greer, 6031 Wade Hampton Blvd., Taylors, SC 29687
• Seneca, 1227 Sandifer Blvd., Keowee Village Shopping Center, Seneca, SC 29678
• Simpsonville, 365 Harrison Bridge Road, Simpsonville, SC 29680
• Spartanburg, 119 East Blackstock Road, Spartanburg, SC 29301
• Woodruff Road, 4 Market Point Drive, Greenville, SC 29607

“Because books are the building blocks of literacy, Verizon encourages everyone in the community to help The Children’s Museum of the Upstate meet their programming goals by putting books in the hands of children,” said Jerry Fountain, president of the Verizon Wireless Carolinas/Tennessee region. “The Children’s Museum of the Upstate is a wonderful place for children to enjoy using their imaginations and a donated book allows children to take home something that will continue to motivate and inspire them.”

Many of the donated books collected in Verizon’s stores will be part of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate’s first ever book swap that will occur Saturday, March 31st and run throughout the month of April. During the book swap at the museum, children in the community can bring in books they no longer want for new books collected during the March book drive.

“The Children’s Museum of the Upstate’s early childhood programs focus on exposing children to sounds, words, speech, and print,” said Nancy Halverson Vice President of programming at The Children’s Museum of the Upstate. “We are so glad that a corporate leader like Verizon Wireless is helping us collect books in March so that we can create meaningful interactions, experiences and activites for young children through the power of reading.”

Some of the books collected at Verizon Wirless stores will also be shared with Safe Harbor, First Steps, Little Steps, the Julie Valentine Center, Child’s Haven, GAIHN, Communities in Schools, YMCA Judson, and YWCA of Greenville as part of the museum’s Fund-A-Family program to encourage and support the children served by these organizations throughout the Upstate.

For more information about the Verizon Wireless book collection, contact Karen Schulz at 864.987.2006. For more information about the book swap and literacy programs for kids, contact Nancy Halverson at 864.553.7921.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves nearly 108.7 million total wireless connections, including 92.2 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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