For nearly six years now, the United Way of Greater Warren County has been a sponsor of Imagination Library, which provides a free book for children ages zero to five once a month in the mail. As there is still a need to continue working with children on literacy beyond the age of five, Executive Director Jeannie Weber shares their expansion efforts with the program locally:
“For the last few years, Lynne and I have been talking about what to do with kids after age five because there is still a huge need for us to be able to work with kids on literacy. It is not just about reading and learning how to read, it is about opening up imaginations, it is about determining what you want to do for the rest of your life, reading takes you into those moments. It is also about parents or caretakers having contact everyday with their kids. What we have done is develop a program with Imagination Library and now extending it beyond five with Jamieson Community Center. We have also received some funding from the Galesburg Community Foundation and what we will be doing is providing new books to kids.”
March is National Reading Month and to further extend literacy opportunities in the local community, the United Way of Greater Warren County is launching Story Time Online, explains Executive Assistant Lynne Davis:
“Since March is book month, we have decided that through the Imagination Library, books that the kids are receiving, that we will have people come in and record those books so that the kids can go online and they can listen to the book and follow along.”
If you would like to lend your voice, call Prairie Communications at 309-734-9452 to schedule a time to record a book.
