Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) needs the South Cariboo community’s help with its first annual book drive.
CCPL will be holding the book drive through the month of April in 100 Mile House and Williams Lake. More than 3,000 books were circulated in 2010 to children and youth in the South Cariboo.
We are always looking for children's, youth and teen's books for the Bright Red Bookshelves.
The Family Reading Partnership started the Bright Red Bookshelf in New York.
The local Bright Red Bookshelf program gives all children and youth in 100 Mile House and surrounding communities access to high-quality books by sharing new and gently-used children's books for families to keep.
The books may be used at one of the many sites or taken home. Books are collected in red crates at community locations and through book drives.
CCPL began the program in 100 Mile in 2009 in partnership with Cedar Crest Society for Community Living. The bookshelves in 100 Mile were built by Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School students under the guidance of their shop teacher.
Cedar Crest staff help by collecting, cleaning, sorting and attaching a label to the books. Once the books are ready, staff members then deliver and put the books on the Bright Red Bookshelves.
In 100 Mile and the surrounding communities the bookshelves are located at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre, Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Canim Lake Band, Mile 108 Elementary, Horse Lake Elementary, Forest Grove Elementary, and all eight South End StrongStart and Kindergym sites.
CCPL is currently working on setting up a bookshelf in Lac la Hache.
Each month children, youth and teens in 100 Mile take home close to 250 books. Our goal is to make books available for every child in our communities.
Giving children books of their own at an early age will encourage them to read, which will help build on their reading, language and spelling skills and let their imaginations soar.
Giving families books so they may read together will help break the intergenerational cycle of low literacy. Parents who read to their children will instill a love of reading and create great memories.
By reading and learning together, the whole family will improve their literacy skills and enjoyment in their lives. Once the family members' literacy skills improve, they will be able to participate fully in their communities and have greater choices in their futures and employment.
If we improve the literacy skills in a family, we improve the literacy skills in our community.
People can make a difference by donating their gently-used books throughout the month of April.
The Free Press will publish a list of all locations collecting books in the next couple of weeks.
Melody Newcombe is a literacy support worker.