For the City Times

Parents can dress their kids in PJs and take them to the Sentry Theater in Stevens Point on Wednesday, June 15, at 6 p.m. for the second annual Portage County Pajama Party hosted by United Way of Portage County.

This free event will feature the world famous Bubble Wonders show by Geoff Akins and award-winning children’s author Steven Layne.

Akins’ Bubble Wonders show is designed to inspire hearts and minds of people of all ages as they learn about the art and science of bubbles. During the show, he will create bubbles inside of bubbles, bubble caterpillars, dancing bubbles, fog-filled volcano bubbles and a square bubble. He may even put a kid in a bubble.

Akins has performed in 10 different countries and has been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC and the National Geographic Channel. More information about him is available at www.BubbleWonders.com.

Steven Layne, who will read to children and talk about the importance of reading at the Pajama Party, is Professor of Literacy Education at Judson University in Elgin, Ill., where he directs the university’s masters and doctoral programs in Literacy Education.

Layne has authored 27 books including multiple award-winning titles in both the picture book and young adult genres including “The Teachers’ Night before Christmas,” the teen thriller “This Side of Paradise” and the picture book “Love the Baby.” More information about him is available at www.stevelayne.com.

“The Pajama Party will be a lot of fun for everybody attending,” said Sue Wilcox, United Way of Portage County Executive Director. “Bubble Wonders is highly entertaining, and Steven Layne’s passion for reading to children is inspiring.”

Through sponsorship from Cooper Dental, each child attending the event will receive a free age-appropriate book.

Admission to the event is free through sponsorship from Sentry Insurance, United Way of Portage County Endowment, the Stevens Point Area Public School District and WORZALLA Publishing.

The event is part of the LIVE UNITED Family Experience, a series of events designed to show what United Way means to the community. During the Portage County Pajama Party, a collection area in the lobby will be available for people to donate schools supplies to United Way Volunteer Center’s Project Fresh Start, which annually helps more than 1,000 Portage County students prepare for school. Suggested donations include backpacks for older kids, wide- and college-rule notebooks, two-pocket folders, rulers and pencil boxes, and 1- to 1.5-inch binders.

To learn more about this event or other upcoming Family Experience events, visit www.unitedwaypoco.org.