Switch it On! Catches On; Author Contributes 250 Books

(September 7, 2010) - Author Dan Heath wants to "up the ante."

Last week, Riverview Rotary and the Danville Regional Foundation (DRF), announced Switch it On! a community-wide read of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, the latest bestselling book by Chip and Dan Heath. Their first goal is to get at least 1,000 community citizens and 200 regional students reading the book at the same time. Their second goal is to fill the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research October 26 when author Dan Heath joins the community for breakfast.

"I saw this article: http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2010/09/02/chatham/news/news36.txt," wrote Dan Heath in an email to Karl Stauber, CEO and President of DRF during the holiday weekend. "It got me so inspired that I want to 'up the ante.' I want to chip in 250 copies of Switch. No cost -- these are on me."

The community-wide read effort is unique. Given Heath's commitment, the goal now is to have 1,450 Dan River Region citizens read the book, Switch.

"I've never been part of a community-wide read like this before," wrote Dan. "Let's keep this snowball growing!"

Dan Heath is a Senior Fellow at Duke University's CASE center, which supports entrepreneurs who are fighting for social good. Heath is also columnist for Fast Company magazine, and has taught and consulted with organizations such as Microsoft, Philips, Vanguard, Macy's, USAID, and the American Heart Association.

DRF awarded a $4,000 grant to Riverview Rotary, which will reduce the price of 1,000 books from $26 retail to a discount rate of $10 plus tax. These will be available September 15 at the Schoolfield House Booksellers at Averett University. Riverview Rotary has also committed close to $3,000 in funds to purchase an additional 200 copies of Switch at retail cost, which will be distributed for free to high school juniors and seniors, as well as regional college students throughout DRF's service area of Danville and Pittsylvania County in Virginia and Caswell County, N.C.

Breakfast with Dan Heath, October 26, is the first event of DRF's speaker series for 2010-2011. It is a free event but registrations are required and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by contacting the Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, 434-836-6990, or emailing: chamber@dpchamber.org.

To buy a book, visit The Schoolfield House Booksellers at Averett University, at 354 West Main Street Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. or Sunday from noon - 3 p.m. Students can call Bruce Wilson, 434-792-5960 or email: elan@comcast.net