Obies and kiddies gathered with glee last Sunday at the Oberlin Library. With Loraxes and snackses and Catses in Hatses, the sixth year in a row was a barrel of laughses.

Over 70 Oberlin College students helped organize the sixth annual Dr. Seuss Reading Extravaganza at the Oberlin Public Library last Sunday.

Free books were given to the over 100 children who came to hear performances and play reading-related games at the event planned by the Oberlin America Reads program.

“The day went really well,” said Jenny Sage, a third year double-degree who helped organize the event over Winter Term.

“A hundred and fifteen kids all got free books, and they seemed to have a really good time. We painted lots of faces, gave away a lot of balloons, and the whole feeling of the day was really good. Everyone was smiling.”

At least 200 community members attended the event, 115 of whom were children ranging in age from three year olds to pre-teens.

“You hear people talk about how divided the College is from the community,” Sage said. “I thought this was a good way of doing community service and working with the community.”

Both the college and the community were well-represented at the event. According to Linda Arbogast, program director for the Community Service Work Study Program and one organizer of the event, all 70 America Reads tutors were involved in either preparing for the event or helping run it. In addition, students from the Athletics Department and the newly formed Community Service Teams helped out.

Student a cappella group Nothing But Treble and musician Freddie Effinger performed for the children as well.

A wide range of community members attended the event. Firemen came to entertain the children and the principals from Prospect Elementary and Eastwood Elementary, Linda Dawson and Tracy Friarson, gave readings. Cathy Walcher, a state representative, also attended.

America Reads has organized the Dr. Seuss Day for six years now, and the event continues to grow. According to Jesse Gerstin, an America Reads site coordinator who helped organize student volunteers, the event has used only one room in the library in previous years. This year, the day required two rooms and a performance space.

“One of the reasons the day went so well is that all the America Reads tutors were so into it,” said Sage. “There were so many people there who cared a lot about making it a really great day.”