Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) is kicking off his annual Summer Reading Challenge for local children, distributing brochures to local schools and libraries. The program encourages kids to continue reading while school is out and aims to instill a love of literature in local youth.

“The Summer Reading Challenge is about showing kids that reading isn’t just for homework – it’s for fun, too!” said Hawley. “The program garners a tremendous amount of participation every year, and I hope that even more children will dive into a book and learn the joy and benefits of reading this summer.”

Children who spend time reading for 40 days over the summer will receive a New York State Assembly “Excellence in Reading” Certificate from Assemblyman Hawley. Brochures can be obtained from many local libraries, on the assemblyman’s official Web site at http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Stephen-Hawley/, or by contacting the assemblyman’s district office at 121 North Main Street, Suite 100, Albion, NY 14411, (585) 589-5780, or hawleys@assembly.state.ny.us.