Event puts focus on Chinese culture 1/22/2008 Junior League will boost literacy tonight By Joy Campbell Messenger-Inquirer The list of activities for The Big Read is getting longer, and the kickoff of this community-wide event is still 31/2 weeks away. Book discussions, children's hour programs at the local library and Chinese dinosaur cast skeletons are just a few of the opportunities for residents to get involved, planners said this week. "From my standpoint, The Big Read is about getting people excited about reading and trying to bring an entire community together around one book," said Brenda Hauser, a planning committee member. "In our case, it's an avenue for learning more about a different culture and for learning how far reading can take you and how it can enrich your life." The Big Read is a project of the National Endowment For the Arts in which residents in communities across the country are encouraged to read and discuss the same book. The "one book" the Owensboro community is encouraged to read is "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan. Readers can experience China's customs and culture through reading the book, but they also can learn about generational relationships, especially those between mothers and daughters. The kickoff of the community-wide event will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 9 at the RiverPark Center, but several programs will take place before then. Tonight, The Junior League of Owensboro will host reading, crafts and food at the P.G. Walker and Harry Smith Housing Complex Community Center. The organization decided to incorporate its reading initiative that already was planned into The Big Read. "We'll be reading from 'Sagwa,' which is one of Tan's books listed in The Big Read," said Jenny Inman, league president. "We'll also be talking to parents about The Big Read and offering support, if needed, in adult literacy." The league members also will sign up children who have not yet enrolled in The Imagination Library that mails free books to kids from birth to age 5. The organization's reading activity will be repeated Jan. 29 at the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club's Rolling Heights location. Owensboro Community & Technical College has promoted a common reading event at the college for about five years. Organizers have tried to reach further into the community in recent years with author presentations, said English teacher Kaye Brown, who also is on The Big Read planning committee. The Big Read is an expanded version of the college's common reading program. It also has the resources of the National Endowment for the Arts, including a grant to promote the initiative. The OCTC grant collaboration was one of 127 groups to receive funding from the national arts group. "One goal of the initiative is to get nonreaders back to reading," Brown said. "I'm concerned about how quickly reading is declining in our country." She's been getting her students excited about reading Tan's novel. The community's excitement around The Big Read also is building, organizers said. Activities continue to be added to the calendar. "We've already received a lot of interest from book clubs that are planning to read Tan's book," said Tracy Marksberry, executive director of The Learning Community. "We've been placing reader's guides everywhere we can ... we want people all across the community to participate." The planners are