DALTON, Ga. — Mariela Fuentes watched with a smile as her daughters Angeina and Sofia posed with Sparky the Fire Dog.

“They are so excited about all of this,” Fuentes said. “They were really excited when they got their books.”

The three had come to the Mack Gaston Community Center Thursday afternoon for the seventh annual Readers to Leaders Book Blast, which organizers described as a celebration of early reading and literacy.

“It started as a fun, back-to-school event to encourage literacy and early literacy with children and families in our community,” said Stephanie Hogshead, child development and early learning coordinator for the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, the sponsor of the event.

Hogshead said the event averages between 350 and 400 participants each year.

Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Judy Gilreath was greeting people as they walked in the door. She said the event stresses just how important early reading is for children.

Beverly Hedges, who in the past taught in the Dalton Public Schools system, was dressed as Pete the Cat from the children’s book series. She was accompanied by her dog Jag as she read to the children.

“We’ve come every year since this started,” Hedges said. She said she usually dresses as a Dr. Seuss character but decided to switch this year.

“The kids love it. I’m very animated when I read, and they love Jag,” she said. “Jag comes to school with me every day at LaFayette High School, where I teach, and we do literacy events such as this.”

While early reading may not seem to have a connection to health care, Greg Dent, executive director of the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, said the link is vital.

“If you can read on grade level in third grade, you are much more likely to graduate high school,” he said. “And if you graduate high school, you are more likely to have a job that pays well and has health insurance. If you are trying to create a community that is healthy, has access to health care and has healthy lifestyles, early literacy is a key.”

But getting a good job and health insurance wasn’t on the mind of Ethan Reed, who is getting to ready start kindergarten.

“He’s just fascinated by everything that’s going on here,” said his mother Kim. “He loved the storytime and the singer (Fiddlin’ Dan) and all the (costumed) characters roaming around here.”