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Press Releases
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Press ReleaseIBC is Lead Sponsor of 'One Book, One Philadelphia'Philadelphia, PA - January 16, 2007 - For the fifth consecutive year, Independence Blue Cross is proud to be the lead sponsor of One Book, One Philadelphia, a collaborative community initiative of the Free Library and the City of Philadelphia that promotes reading, literacy and community by encouraging area residents to read and discuss a single book. This year’s selection, Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire, which won the 2003 National Book Award, describes Eire’s life before and after he arrived in the United States as one of the 14,000 children airlifted out of Cuba without their parents in the early sixties. Thousands of local residents are expected to read and discuss Carlos Eire’s memoir and the issues surrounding relocation and immigration during One Book, One Philadelphia, a literacy initiative that has become an important fixture in the southeastern Pennsylvania region. To broaden the program’s reach and encourage intergenerational reading, the program named two companion books to promote widest participation possible:
During the official reading period, January 15 through March 15, several author lectures, book club discussions, performances, and other activities will take place throughout the region, including a kickoff lecture and book signing with Carlos Eire today at the Philadelphia City Institute, a nonprofit organization located in Rittenhouse Square that functions as a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Independence Blue Cross supports regional programs and events that build community in the Philadelphia region. Independence Blue Cross has supported the One Book, One Philadelphia program since its inception in 2002, and has been a lead sponsor of the program since 2003. The company’s sponsorship will help defray the cost of printing and distributing discussion materials and copies of the book. For more information about this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia, visit the Free Library of Philadelphia website. Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, Independence Blue Cross and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For nearly 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered quality health care products and services tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, groups and providers. Independence Blue Cross recently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its HMO and PPO health care plans. In addition, in 2005, Independence Blue Cross’s Personal Choice was rated the No. 1 PPO in the nation and its Keystone HMO was ranked the No. 1 HMO in the region by health care consumers in a leading independent consumer magazine.
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