The Friends of the North Perth Public Library have announced a new partnership that will benefit young kids in the area.
They and the North Perth Public Library have partnered with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Canada program. Stacey Ash, Chair of the Friends of the North Public Library, says the partnership will mean free books for local children.
"Free high quality books for children from birth up to their fifth birthdays. Through fundraising and community outreach, any child in North Perth in that age range that signs up will receive a free book a month mailed right to their home, right up until their fifth birthday," Ash enthused.
Ash says the program will need about $30,000 a year to operate, and they got a big initial donation from the Corey and Malory Conners Family Fund for $7,500.
"Corey and Malory are such incredible community leaders. Interestingly, Malory's grandmother was actually once a Friend of the Library. Malory's a teacher by trade and really understands the value of early literacy programs. We're incredibly lucky to have them as supporters of the North Perth Dolly Parton Imagination Library project," Ash noted.
In terms of future donations and community support, Ash says she wants local businesses and donors to see this as a long-term investment, because kids who start reading early can take those skills forward, resulting in a better future workforce.
"So we know according to the Conference Board of Canada, that almost half of Canadians don't have an adequate literacy level. Early literacy, the neural development that happens when children are exposed to books at an early age, is huge, and a tremendous indicator of future success, both in school and in life," added Ash.
A release from the Friends of the North Perth Public Library states that an estimated 1,200 children under 5 years of age live in North Perth.
“As parents and Listowel residents, we were thrilled to learn that the Friends of the Library are bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children in North Perth,” Malory Conners said. “Reading together is something our family has always valued, and we’re proud to support a program that delivers books to young children in our hometown, and further supports those book deliveries with educational programs.”
You can register your child online by visiting https://imaginationlibrary.com/ca/affiliate/ONNORTHPERTH/ or by completing a registration form at any branch of the North Perth Public Library. All registrations will be verified to confirm accuracy.
To donate, you can do so online through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, at https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com/?country=CA&affid=ONNORTHPERTH.
For any further information, you can contact Stacey Ash, Chair, Friends of the North Perth Public Libraryat stacey.ash@wightman.ca or 226-220-4818.