24-Hour “Read Around the World” global event marks a more than five year partnership of easing the separation of deployed parents: Google+ Hangout video showcases the program
In dozens of USO Centers, across multiple time zones worldwide, the USO and United Through Reading® will commemorate 250,000 recordings with a 24 hour Read Around the World day. The USO’s partnership with United Through Reading began in 2006 and affords deployed parents the opportunity to be video-recorded reading storybooks to their children, which eases the stress of separation. The USO ships the recording and a copy of the book to the troop’s family back home. The family is encouraged to take photos of their children watching the recording and mail those back to their deployed service member to complete the circle of communication.
“Knowing that your child back home can see your face and hear your voice, following along while you read them a story, is a priceless connection that we are proud to be a part of,” said USO President and CEO Sloan Gibson. “The United Through Reading’s Military Program has a powerful impact and promotes lasting connections for families separated by deployment.”
United Through Reading, the nation’s first nonprofit to promote the read-aloud experience for military families, has been supporting our nation’s military since their founding in 1989. When a deployed mom or dad sits down and reads a book it brings back a sense of normalcy, relieving stress for those families at home.
“We like to call each DVD Mommy or Daddy ‘on demand’ because any time children miss their deployed parent they can pop in the DVD and see their parent read a story book,” said Sally Ann Zoll, Ed. D., chief executive officer of United Through Reading. “The morale of the whole family is boosted. United Through Reading is proud to celebrate the 250,000th DVD recording made at a USO location.”
The public can follow the progress of the day on uso.org, facebook and twitter. Read Around the World will kick-off in Japan on November 19th 5pm EST and end on the West Coast of the United States 24 hours later. During this time, the USO is asking deployed parents to visit a USO Center to record a reading as well as asking military families to share their favorite United Through Reading memories, books and photos with the country on the USO and United Through Reading facebook and twitter pages using the hashtag #ReadAroundtheWorld.
United Through Reading and the USO have also partnered with Google to show how Google+ Hangouts can be used as another way for military families to stay connected when dispersed around the globe. The public can watch a deployed Dad stationed in the Pacific as he connects to his family in Hawaii via Google+ Hangout. Clickhere to see the video.
United Through Reading can be found at nearly 200 recording locations worldwide including more than 70 USO Centers. The 250,000 United Through Reading’s Military Program recordings is part of the 1.5 million beneficiaries that United Through Reading has served since their founding.
Army Spc. Jeremy Ganz cleared his throat, turned the page and read for a 5-year-old who was nowhere in sight.
Trisha Yearwood, pictured with Dr. Sally Ann and her husband Jim Zoll, at the USO Gala on October 7, 2010 in Washington, DC.
Sally Ann Zoll, United Through Reading CEO, was a guest speaker on Army Wife Talk Radio about how United Through Reading provides support in the lives of physically separated families. 
CBS NEWS: Sergeant Sheda was reading the books out loud while looking into the lens of a small video camera … from the program, called “United Through Reading,” which begun in 1989. .. 
The presentation took place on June 5 at the 2010 Patriotic Festival, a free, three-day event, on the Virginia Beach Waterfront, celebrating the military and featuring Uncle Kracker, Hall & Oates and Jason Aldean.
A PGA TOUR Charities, Inc. program, Birdies for the Brave is the PGA TOUR’s primary vehicle for supporting the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. Since 2005, the TOUR has joined with PGA TOUR players, corporate partners, TPC club members, fans and TOUR employees to raise millions of dollars for military home front groups that provide vital services and programs for military men and women and their families. 
Bataan took full advantage of United Through Reading during the ship’s seven-month deployment that ended Dec. 8, but the high-tempo and the uncertainty about the length of the current surge deployment caused a brief delay in the return of Untied Through Reading.
Mary Thompson-Hicks, age 70, reads at the George Stevens Senior Center. Mary is a very enthusiastic participant in the United Through Reading Grandparent Program and has read and recorded three times for family members in Texas.
Spike TV has partnered with the USO and United Through Reading® to help more than 100,000 deployed US soldiers and their families stay connected to their children back home by reading a story aloud on DVD.
The United Through Reading Military Program was the subject of two public service announcements (PSAs) airing during Padres games and on Cox Communications. The spots, which featured Chase Headley and Manager Bud Black, talked about what books they read to their children and the importance of the United Through Reading Military Program.
