Marietta Harvey Hicks, Executive Director of Roscoe Reading Program (RRP) shares, “All good things must come to an end, and it is time for Roscoe.” RRP began in 2002 with just 25 students, Marietta, and a bloodhound named Roscoe. Now in 2017, 15 years later, the program has encouraged over 33,000 students to read and has awarded almost 300,000 books to students in Berkeley County.
One of Marietta’s favorite parts of the program is seeing all of her previous students years later. Recently she saw a few of RRP’s first students, who are now in their mid-twenties, remembering Roscoe and their experience with the program back in elementary school. One of RRP’s former students, Haley, is now an ICA nurse who took care of Marietta’s father during his final hours. Marietta’s father was the first RRP volunteer. The three of them shared stories from their experience with RRP, which kept Marietta’s father laughing and smiling. Marietta shared, “There is no doubt in my mind that God’s hands were over my family during this difficult time.”
Marietta prides the success of the program on all of the support RRP has received over the years from volunteers to financial support. The program has served as a community project that everybody helped with, including little kids labeling books and adults in their 80s volunteering.
The last Roscoe Reading Program Party with be held on Thursday, April 20th at Cross Elementary at 8:30am.
I would like to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for all they’ve done for the students of Berkeley County.
—Marietta Harvey Hicks
