MudLove has joined with Harrison Elementary School to inspire kids to read and to help people in the Central African Republic. “We’re excited to partner up with MudLove,” said Harrison Principal Lee Snider Friday afternoon. “MudLove contacted us about getting involved with the school to inspire kids to read more.” Harrison students had two weeks to reach their reading goal. When they reached their goal, they received a free MudLove wristband that says “Read.” “MudLove as an organization donated half of the cost of those. Our PTO and business partners will pay the other half,” Snider said. Additionally, the class that reached the highest percentage of their reading goal will travel to MudLove in downtown Warsaw Friday to make backpack tags for themselves and for a charitable organization. “It ties into our mission statement neatly, the part about ‘enriching the lives of others,’” Snider said. It also ties into Harrison’s “Be Excited About Reading” program for for students in kindergarten to sixth grade, which started in 1991. This year, BEAR ran Feb. 4-15. All week, Snider said, students had extra reading time. Guest readers came in and read to students. MudLove employees also came in to read and share their lives with others. Friday was the last day of BEAR and Harrison’s read-a-thon. Students brought in their blankets, pillows and pajamas to read “a lot,” Snider said. Students in kindergarten to third grade got to see the MadCaps Puppets, while fourth- through sixth-graders spent the night in Harrison’s gym as a way to celebrate reading. The sleepover included a visit from a comedian and strong man. Integrated Community Development International, Winona Lake, drills wells in Central African Republican, according to Paul Dreisbach, MudLove development. Part of MudLove’s business model is that it gives 20 percent of its profit to ICDI. A dollar of every wristband sold goes to ICDI, so when a Harrison student reached their reading goal and earned a wristband, they also earned a dollar for ICDI. “The kids have really, really been motivated to do this,” Snider said. In the first week, 500 wristbands were given away to Harrison students. There are 590 students at the elementary. “It’s been very, very successful,” Snider said. Reading goals were 12 books for kindergartners; 250 minutes for first-graders; 20 books, second-graders; 15 chapters, third-graders; 250 pages, fourth-graders; 300 pages, fifth-graders; and sixth-graders had a goal of reading 350 pages. Dreisbach said MudLove has been contacted by other schools that saw its program with Harrison on Facebook and wanted to be involved. “We’re working on developing a program they can buy for the schools we can’t get to,” he said. Kids don’t think they can make a difference, but this program between MudLove and Harrison is an easy way for kids to be involved and make a difference, he said. MudLove was founded by Luke Wright, Dreisbach said, in a garage in Winona Lake. While that location is still used at 804 G Park Ave., Winona Lake, MudLove has expanded to a second location in Warsaw at 122 S. Buffalo St. In 3-1/2 years, Dreisbach said, MudLove has grown from one to 22 employees and now ships to 20 countries. “It’s blown up,” he said. MudLove makes different kinds of ceramics, including mugs, necklaces and a variety of products out of pottery. Bracelets right now are its most popular product, he said. “We’re still growing a lot. With this, we’re trying to make a connection so we’re a partner with the community in every way. We want to be a part of everything here,” Dreisbach said. While MudLove helps the Central African Republic, it also helps local residents by employing stay-at-home moms, getting involved with schools and provides fundraisers to churches, among other ways, Dreisbach indicated. Snider said Harrison has used MudLove as a fundraiser before. A huge portion of MudLove’s business is its online sales, at www.mudlove.com MudLove also has a Facebook page, Dreisbach said.
