Reading took center stage last Wednesday morning when Wisconsin’s first lady, Jessica Doyle, visited Hirsch Clinic-VMH and read books to a group of children.

The visit was part of Doyle’s and the governor’s commitment to United We Serve, a national community service campaign to help the nation’s recovery by calling on Americans to volunteer in their communities.

After reading Wisconsin author Kevin Henkes’ “A Good Day” and “B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet” by Kathy-Jo Wargin, a box of books was donated to the clinic for distribution through the Reach Out and Read program.

Reach Out and Read is a national nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud in pediatric exam rooms across the nation.

Reach Out and Read was founded in 1989 at Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center). The Reach Out and Read National Center provides start-up and sustainability funding for books, as well as training and technical assistance, to Reach Out and Read programs nationwide.

The Reach Out and Read program was launched at the clinic in September of 2006 through the efforts of Dr. Brian Woody and Kristy Wiltrout, R.N.

Wiltrout said she and Woody both love reading to their own children and wanted to share that with patients and their families.

Woody and Wiltrout went through an application process to become part of the program. Once accepted, Hirsch Clinic was awarded $900 to establish the program and purchase books.

Wiltrout said books are given to children age 6 months to 5 years old when they come for well-child check-ups.

“By kindergarten, they have 10 books,” she said. “The books are for everybody who comes in.”

Linda Emerson, who serves as coordinator for the program, said more than 2,000 books have been distributed since 2007.

The funding for the program comes from volunteers, donations and fund-raisers.

“I love this program because it helps promote literacy,” Wiltrout said.