Miami, FL–(HISPANIC PR WIRE)–August 22, 2006–One of the first rituals parents and children create together is a bedtime routine. To help local families as they tuck their kids into bed, Publix teamed up with Colgate-Palmolive and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to offer resources and a special story hour that encouraged building reading and brushing habits at an early age.

As part of Colgate’s “Healthy Bedtime Habits For a Lifetime” campaign, Publix hosted an in-store reading event on Monday, August 21st from 3 – 5 p.m., 12100 SW 127 Ave., Miami, to nurture reading among children and to show parents and children fun ways to create healthy bedtime habits. Miami-area families were able to attend a free story hour with special guest reader Myrka Dellanos, host of Exclusively with Myrka Dellanos on Univision Television Network and two-time Emmy award winning journalist, and take home a free Healthy Bedtime Habits starter kit. A similar reading event was held on Friday, August 18 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. at 15801 Sheridan Street, Ft. Lauderdale.

“Connecting with families in our community has always been important to Publix,” says Anne Hendricks, Publix media and community relations manager. “This story hour with Myrka Dellanos created a fun atmosphere where parents can receive tips to help improve their children’s bedtime routines. By joining in Colgate-Palmolive and RIF’s Healthy Bedtime Habits For a Lifetime program, we hope to have provided some family fun along with easy ideas that encourage children to read and brush regularly.”

This healthy habits campaign also includes a new website at http://www.colgatehealthyhabits.com, which offers online tools – brushing log and tips for parents and a customized family brushing and reading log to track each child’s progress in bedtime habits. Children can select one of three themes – Sea, Space or Flower Power – for their reading and building healthy or color it themselves. As the log is completed, children can earn a free battery-powered toothbrush as a reward for brushing and reading regularly.

In addition to the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale communities, Colgate-Palmolive and RIF are supporting children’s literacy in communities across the country. Since 2004, Colgate-Palmolive has contributed $550,000 to RIF to promote children’s literacy. This contribution includes donations of more than 58,000 books to more than 82,000 children in need. This year, Colgate-Palmolive and RIF will continue to support children’s literacy by working with local retail partners to donate libraries to local schools, community groups and military bases. Each library contains approximately 125 top-quality children’s books.

“Since RIF started, almost forty years ago, our mission has been to encourage a child’s enthusiasm for reading by providing them with motivational activities, resources, and most importantly books,” said Carol H. Rasco, President and CEO of RIF. “We are grateful to Colgate-Palmolive for their continued support of our efforts to improve children’s literacy and for showing youth and parents, through their new website, that reading can be a fun part of their daily lives.”

About the Partners:

Publix is owned and operated by its 138,000 employees, with 2005 sales of $20.6 billion. Currently Publix has 883 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. The company has been named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” for nine consecutive years. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized as tops in the grocery business, most recently by an American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. For more information, visit the company’s Web site, http://www.publix.com.

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet pet foods. For more information about Colgate’s global business, visit the Company’s website at http://www.colgate.com.

Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF), founded in 1966, motivates children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year. For more information and to access reading resources, visit RIF’s website at http://www.rif.org.

Celebrating the Joy of Reading for 40 Years

NOTE TO EDITORS: A high-resolution image is available at: http://www.hispanicprwire.com/home.php?l=in