Lakes Area United Way to host Llama Llama Read-o-Rama event

072519.PEJ.LlamaLlama (1).JPG — At Llama Llama Read-o-Rama the Serenity now Alpacas were unpredictable, sometimes getting close to children by the fence, sometimes not. Hoss, pictured here with Arianna Lee of Brainerd was happy for the attention. Travis Grimler / Echo Journal

By Travis G. Grimler

July 15, 2021 at 8:00 AM

The Lakes Area United Way will host the annual Llama Llama Read-o-Rama from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 17, at Serenity Now Alpaca Farm on County Road 15 northeast of Jenkins.

This free event will feature local celebrities reading beloved children's books, visiting alpacas in their home, live music, food trucks, face painting, snacks, door prizes, goodie bags and more.

The event is aimed at celebrating and increasing awareness of the local Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program provided by Lakes Area United Way. This early childhood literacy program offers books to children from newborn to age 5 at no cost. The books are age appropriate and are mailed once a month directly to the child living in either Crow Wing or Cass counties.

This event is a fundraiser to help offset costs incurred through this program. Drawings will be held for those who sponsor one child for a year for $30. Donors can sponsor one child for the entire five years $150.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets, rugs or lawn chairs to listen to the reading. The event will go on, rain or shine.

By Travis G. Grimler

Travis Grimler began work at the Echo Journal Jan. 2 of 2013 while the publication was still split in two as the Pine River Journal and Lake Country Echo. He is a full time reporter/photographer/videographer for the paper and operates primarily out of the northern stretch of the coverage area (Hackensack to Jenkins).

Lakes Area United Way to host Llama Llama Read-o-Rama event

Event returns to Serenity Now Alpaca Farm in Pine River.