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The Waverly Public Library is thrilled to announce a significant boost to its Reach Out and Read program, thanks to a generous $12,000 donation from the Greater Waverly Kiwanis Club. This collaborative effort aims to promote early childhood literacy by providing books to children and encouraging caregivers to read to them.
The Kiwanis club presented the donation at its meeting on Aug. 6. The funds will be used to purchase a year's worth of books for the program. WPL librarians select books suitable for growth milestones for children from infancy through age 5, ensuring that every child has access to age-appropriate reading material. Then the books are dispersed to local physician clinics to be handed out during well-child visits.
WPL Youth Services Librarian Emily McClimon expressed immense gratitude for the donation. "We are incredibly grateful to Kiwanis for their support," she said. "Their contribution will have a lasting impact on our community by setting up our youngest community members for a brighter future. This program not only provides books but also helps build a foundation for lifelong learning."
The Reach Out and Read program, which partners with healthcare providers in nine area clinics, including Waverly, Janesville, Shell Rock, Nashua and Tripoli, integrates reading into pediatric care and encourages parents to read aloud to their children. During routine check-ups, doctors and their nurses distribute books to children and offer advice to caregivers about the importance of reading at home. Annually the program includes over 4,500+ well child visits.
Local pediatrician Dr. Stacy Wagner shared her enthusiasm for the program. “I love seeing the Reach Out and Read program in action at my clinic. It's heartwarming to watch children's faces light up when they receive a new book, and parents appreciate the guidance on incorporating reading into their daily routines."
Reach Out and Read is a national early literacy organization that stresses the importance of reaching families as early as possible. They share data on their website about the benefits of early literacy and how children's brains are 80%+ developed in their first three years of life.
The donation will enable the Waverly Public Library to continue the program after it was cut from this year's city library budget. The collaborative effort underscores the power of community partnerships in nurturing young minds and fostering a lifelong love of reading. For more information about Reach Out and Read, visit reachoutandread.org.
Submitted by Greg Hovden, Greater Waverly Kiwanis Club president
Reprinted with permission from Waverly Democrat newspaper
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