A new age for Books on Tap
Coronavirus has put a damper on many activities that we hold dear this summer, but one good
thing that has come out of the pandemic is the overwhelming showcase of creativity from
various brands, content creators and event coordinators. And Reach Out and Read KC’s 9th
Annual Books on Tap event is no exception.
Reach Out and Read Kansas City is a nonprofit program that incorporates books into pediatric
care and encourages families to read aloud together. It was founded in 1997 as a collaboration
between Children’s Mercy and KU Med Center pediatricians and is currently apart of two
national literacy programs: Reach Out and Read National Center and Reading Is Fundamental.
Party-at-Home!
In the past, Books on Tap has been touted as a “happy hour style networking event”, complete
with yard games, photo booths, live music, and caricature artists. Appetizers and drinks were
served courtesy of local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
However the pandemic has forced co-chairs Cate Stein and Kayla Boal to get creative when
pivoting the direction of Books on Tap this year. “In an effort to keep our attendees and
committee safe, we have decided to go virtual in our event and fundraising efforts.” says Kayla
Boal. “For example, we have a give back night at Kendra Scott, an outdoor donation based
work out class hosted by Power Life, a silent auction, Party-at-Home packages you can get with
your donation, and a campaign style fundraising week.”
The Books on Tap event committee has also developed Party at Home packages, “boxes of fun
that can be delivered to your home before the event on September 16.” Cate Stein explains,
“Party-at-Home packages will be available with certain donation levels…[and] they will be
available online on September 9, while supplies last! We’ll have a Family Fun Package, Date
Night Package, and the Ultimate Happy Hour package.”
The Beginning of Books On Tap
In the past, local bars and restaurants have donated to the event, but with many restaurants and
bars losing a large portion of business due to the significant loss of foot traffic resulting from the
pandemic, the committee has taken a different approach, “We recognized early on that asking
local restaurants [and] businesses to make donations did not feel right…However, we still
wanted to involve those businesses and support them somehow. We created our KC Strong
Sponsorship level where we can spend those sponsorship dollars back with those that have been
supportive in the past,“ Kayla says.
Despite the changes made this year, the shift hasn’t been all bad. Both Cate and Kayla are
confident that people are excited about the changes and that participants are still looking forward
to the fundraising event. “It is a new and interesting time for fundraising events,” Cate says, “so
everyone is trying their best to make these events different from one another.” Of the shifts that
have been made to this event, both Cate and Kayla agree that the online silent auction will
definitely be one thing they keep in the coming years.
Come and Join!
Books on Tap 2020 is an annual fall fundraiser hosted by Reach Out and Read Kansas City. All
proceeds will go towards supporting early childhood literacy. This year’s virtual campaign will run from September 9-September 16. September 16 is when the virtual event will take place. Stay tuned on Reach Out and Read Kansas City’s social media accounts for updates. For live updates on the event, visit the Facebook page. To learn more about Reach out and Read Kansas City and their mission, you can visit their
website.
So grab a glass of your favorite beverage, bid on their amazing items and enjoy from the
safety of your own home. Cheers, Kansas City!
