Plant a Seed in Spring Planting for Literacy

Press release

It's been a long winter and many of you are anxiously waiting to get into your gardens, looking forward to sunshine and rejoicing when the snow disappears.

Here at Plant a Seed...READ!, the 2018 Annual Spring Planting for Literacy campaign is in full swing as we continue to promote the importance of reading aloud to children from birth. Our goals for 2018 are to:

• Increase the awareness of the benefits of reading aloud to children from birth;

• Provide books through the Imagination Library to all children from birth to age 5 in Blaine, Hill and Phillips counties;

• Promote the program in Valley and Liberty counties;

• Increase our enrollment in the Imagination Library by 25%;

• Increase the awareness of "play to learn" for children under 5 to parents;

• Increase volunteer opportunities for interested individuals.

Alex Cummings recently graduated from the Imagination Library by receiving a certificate from Plant a Seed...READ! and his final book from the Imagination Library program, "Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!"

This is a special occasion since he has been receiving his monthly books since he was 6 months old. His favorite part about receiving the books is having that special time with his mom or dad reading to him.

Alex's mom, Melissa, said,"Not only did the Imagination Library program fill his book shelves, but it filled his brain with all kinds of amazing stories, knowledge, and imagination. The selection of books sent was amazing. Some months we would open the book and I would think 'I'm not sure he will like this,' but after reading it one time it quickly became the most requested book whenever we sat down to read. Books I never would have thought about getting for him are some of the most cherished books in our house."

The best investment an individual can make now is to make sure all children, from birth to age 5, are being read to at least 15-20 minutes a day by their families. By adopting a reader in YOUR community for $30 a year.

You can make the biggest difference for the return on the investment for the future of a child, a family and community.

Donations may be sent to Plant a Seed...READ!, PO Box 782, Havre, MT 59501

Donation forms are available at the county libraries in Blaine, Hill and Phillips counties, on the back page of the TV guide in the Friday Havre Daily News, or Plant a Seed...READ!, HRDC, 2229 5th Avenue. You may donate on line by visiting our website, http://www.plantaseedreadmt.org/.

Join others in planting and cultivating our literacy garden for our youngest learners.