Local dry cleaner extends reading program after headquarters fire

By Johanna Kaiser, Town Correspondent

Dependable Cleaners is extending its Read to Ride initiative after a four-alarm fire last month destroyed its Quincy headquarters and all the entry forms submitted to the summer reading program.

Dependable Cleaners, which has two locations on Newbury Street, has extended its reading program by a week to August 20 and is encouraging children and teens to resubmit their reading forms that were destroyed in the fire.

The cleaners is also encouraging children to continue reading so they can submit new forms and win more prizes.

“Despite the loss of the store, this is also a teaching moment that allows us to demonstrate to children how to move forward during difficult times,” Christa Hagearty, president of Dependable Cleaners, said in a statement. “We saw great momentum in the program this year and we want that to continue.”

Children between the ages of six and 15 can submit one form to Dependable Cleaners for every book they read. Each entry form is entered into a weekly drawing that awards one grand prize winner a bicycle and helmet and two runners-up receive gift cards to a local sporting goods store or activity in the Greater Boston Area.

Dependable Cleaners has also extended the program to August 20 from August 13 in the wake of the fire.

The program is designed to foster a love of reading and provide healthy activities over the summer months. Since its inception in 1999, local children have read more than 59,000 books as part of the program.

Entry forms are available at all Dependable Cleaners locations and delivery routes,
Farina’s Bike Store in Watertown, David’s Bike Infirmary in Milton, local libraries and online.
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Twitter: @YourBackBay
E-mail: johanna.yourtown@gmail.com