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Children who participated in “Get in the Game! Read!” — the annual summer reading program here — concluded the program with a pizza party, prizes and play on June 26 at Kiwanis Park. Tyler Byars, 10, of McLeansboro, was among the youngsters picking out a free book with the help of his mother, Becky; all children who attended the event at the park had their choice of a free book, said Annette Webb of the Hamilton County Retired Teachers Association, which puts on the program with McCoy Memorial Library. Children at the event also played on the Kids Kingdom playground. Eighty-five children signed up for the four-week program, and about 65 completed it by meeting reading goals, Webb said. In keeping with the program’s sports theme, she added, local high school and college athletes participated by reading to the children and telling them why reading is important to them. Photos by Paul Lorenz/Times-Leader / (Click for larger image)