Stan Winarski: Mercury 64 Kiwanian of the Year

by Monte Correll

The Kiwanis Club of Mercury 64 selects Stanley Winarski as its Kiwanian of the Year. Mr. Winarski was lauded for his tireless and successful work in putting books in the hands of Hampton Roads children. He was the co-founder of First Book Hampton Roads in 2008. Since that time, the organization has helped obtain over 40,000 books to help Hampton Roads children learn and love to read. Mr. Winarski's efforts led to the creation of the Hampton Mayor's Book Club that engages community leaders and volunteers who read the monthly book selection in Hampton's preschool, kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. This program has been so successful that Newport News has adopted it for their children. Hundreds of community leaders and volunteers are now reading to nearly 6,300 children in over 300 classrooms each school year.

above: Stan Winarski and the Mercury 64 President, Joan Davis