Mike SciaccaThere was no mistaking the voice...

Mike Sciacca

There was no mistaking the voice -- that deep, soulful baritone.

No, especially not once it bellowed out the famous line from the

Star Wars movies, “May the force be with you!”

Those were the first words spoken by acclaimed actor James Earl

Jones as he addressed numerous city officials and an enthusiastic

crowd that gathered Monday at the Huntington Beach Public Library.

The library rolled out the red carpet to welcome the Tony-winning,

Emmy- and Oscar-nominated actor, who came to Surf City to read to

local youth and help bestow a generous grant to the Literary

Volunteers of America-Huntington Beach Library.

The $25,000 grant was given by Verizon, during Monday’s special

event.

Jones has been the company’s spokesperson since 2000.

The voice of Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” movies and Mufasa in

“The Lion King,” Jones gave an animated read of the book, “Mr. Wolf’s

Pancakes,” to 50 Oak View Elementary School students who sat on the

floor directly in front of the actor reading along.

Jones, 74, addressed the students on the importance of literacy in

their lives.

“Literacy is now, and was then, the key to freedom,” said Jones.

“To my forbearers, books were a cherished possession. When I was a

child, I stuttered and was illiterate, but I found voices in books.

That’s how I learned to read,” he said.

Amy Crepeau, the literary specialist for the past eight years at

the Oak View Branch Library, which helps adults learn to read,

submitted a grant proposal to Verizon in May 2004.

She learned that Oak View would receive a $25,000 grant in early

November.

The branch library was one of 18 programs nationwide selected to

split $1 million that Verizon puts aside for grant funding, said Tim

McCallion, regional vice president for Verizon.

“We are so thrilled with this grant,” said Crepeau, who noted that

grant money would go toward computer literacy, increased literacy in

homes and library staff.

Two awards also were handed out during the event: one to Rosa

Molina, an Oak View Branch Library literacy student and mother of

two, and the other to Oak View fourth-grader Miguel Zamudio, who was

honored for his “outstanding citizenship and excellence in

academics.”

“Reading makes me happy,” Miguel, 10, said, with a shy smile.

He said he didn’t know that Jones was the voice of Darth Vader and

Mufasa until his teacher, Mrs. Walton, told him.

“That’s cool,” he said. “It was really neat to hear him read to

us. This award makes me happy.”

Although Monday marked the first time that Verizon has given a

grant to the literacy program in Huntington Beach, the company has

been deploying fiber-optic cable throughout a significant portion of

Surf City, and is preparing to officially kick off sales of the

service.

“We have been involved with events here in Huntington Beach for

many years, and we’re glad to be able to give this money to the

Huntington Beach literacy program,” McCallion said. “The program is

very deserving of this grant.”