What's New
The Wellington and District Lions Club raised money for County Kids Read during their August donation jar fundraiser. Forty donation jars were placed in various businesses across the county to collect money.
Anne Preston of County Kids Read (second from left) accepts a generous cheque from Lions members.
On Monday evening, September 17, the Picton Kiwanis Club hosted County Kids Read. Anne Preston spoke to the club about our program. Pictured here from left to right are Linda Wilson of Kiwanis, and Anne Preston and Marlene Fraser from County Kids Read.
Janna Smith, executive director of the PEC Arts Council, Anne Preston and Deb Grund from County Kids Read display some of the Indigenous and Multicultural books that County Kids Read will be purchasing and adding to the CKR collection. The grant from the Community Justice Fund (County Community Foundation) will enable County Kids Read to add approximately 300 additional Indigenous and multicultural books to their collection.
County Kids Read distributed books at the Kindergarten orientation on June 19 for Queen Elizabeth School. The orientation was held at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute, which is the new space for the QE students.
County Kids Read received a large number of books from Kids Can Press that were global, and international in scope and content. There were more than enough books to share – so County Kids Read sent some of the books to children in Ghana. Although the container was 5 months late in arriving, the shipment was finally received in May by appreciative children at schools in Atakor and Dzita. Peta Hall, who was in Ghana when the books arrived, sent this note and the accompanying photos, which are definitely worth a thousand words!
“And what a gift you gave those children in Atorkor and Dzita. When the box was opened and the kids got to touch and read the books … they were enthralled, engrossed, absorbed, fascinated and awed! Seriously, it was better than Christmas for them. I gave some to the Basic school in Atorkor but the majority went to the Learning Centre in Dzita (next door village). It is the only one of its kind in the region; it’s small and part of the Dream Big Ghana NGO. Started by a brilliant, caring young man, Dougal, and concentrating on African heritage and culture, it has books, puzzles, games and some computers for the older children. It features African related stories, or subjects, so your books were PERFECT, being international in subject matter and images. They were SO appreciated. When I left, the librarians Godsway and Emmanuel both thanked me again and again for the new additions. They will all be carefully covered and catalogued and avidly read no doubt!” (Peta Hall)
Peta Hall is a well-known Bloomfield potter and arts supporter. She has been very involved in the development and marketing of artisans in Africa. Since 2008 she has been instrumental in setting up a woman’s textile cooperative called Diderot, meaning “there is hope” in the Volta region of Ghana.
County Kids Read launched its new project, Books for County Babies, at the Babies and Beyond group this week. Babies and Beyond is a program from the Hub Family and Child Centre for young moms under the age of twenty–one. It was a fun morning and each mom received a book bag.
These photos show moms celebrating their new Board books and book bags thanks to a collaborative partnership with County Kids Read, Friends of the Wellington Library, and the PEC health team. This baby group meets weekly at Wellington United Church under the direction of Peggy Neil, Family Outreach Nurse.
Every County family with a newborn will receive a book bag containing a Board book, literacy activities, and information on County Kids Read and the County of Prince Edward Public Libraries.
On April 20 grade 5 students at Queen Elizabeth School were treated to a wonderful presentation by Kean Soo about how he came to be, and the fascinating mechanics of being a graphic novelist. Born in England and raised in Hong Kong, Kean Soo settled in Canada, where he planned to embark on a career in electrical engineering. However, he discovered that he'd rather draw comics instead. Kean began posting his comics on the internet in 2002, and later became an assistant editor and regular contributor to the all-ages FLiGHT anthologies. His online work has been nominated for several awards, including an Eisner Award nomination for Jellaby. His latest graphic novel is March Grand Prix: the Fast and the Furriest. This visit was sponsored and made possible by County Kids Read and the County of Prince Edward Public Library.
Photo by Peggy deWitt
St John's Anglican Church in Waupoos presents a cheque from the Apple Blossom Festival to County Kids Read. Shown from left to right are Anne Preston (County Kids Read), Rev. Ada Clifton, Brenda Hellyer (one of the Apple Blossom organizers) and Jenifer Dean from County Cider Company, who hosted the Apple Blossom Festival in 2017. This year’s Apple Blossom Festival will be held in May.
County Kids Read will be partnering with the food bank at the Salvation Army church in Picton.
Barbara Wallace from County Kids Read and Sandra Brighton from the Salvation Army stand beside the basket of books at the food bank at the Salvation Army on Elizabeth Street in Picton. Families and children visiting the food bank are encouraged to choose a free book to take home.
