Newborns to five year-olds can receive a free book each month
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Newborns to five year-olds in Blaine and Hill Counties can receive an age appropriate book each month…for free! The free books are a part of the Plant a Seed…Read! effort connected to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library project. The popular artist started the book distribution program in 1995 in her home county in Tennessee. The initiative was based on research results that show a major part of a child’s brain development happens from birth to age five. Reading aloud to a child in that age category is connected to improved levels of readiness when a child begins school.
After her successful launch of the Imagination Library in Tennessee, Parton offered to distribute age appropriate books to youngsters in communities that partnered with her program. Now there are 1600 communities in North America and Australia helping provide nearly a million books a year to children up to age five. The cost of the books is $25 per child. The local partnerships raise money to fund the books that come each month through the Imagination Library. The community partnership for Blaine and Hill County is based in Havre and directed by retired teacher, Lorraine Verploegen.
Local grant supports cost of books
Verploegen said recently, “We received a grant to pay for a year’s worth of books to 125 kids. Some of that grant money is still available and we are encouraging parents in Blaine County to register their children (ages birth to five) to begin receiving the books.” She added, “With Christmas just around the corner signing up a child provides a great gift they can enjoy each month of the coming year.” She feels confident that donors will continue to support the program and children will be able to receive books for the entire time they meet the age qualification.
Verploegen said there are about 573 children currently eligible, by age, in Blaine County. At Fort Belknap children in the Fort Belknap Early Head Start and Head Start will be signing up for the book program in October of this year. The Head Start organization will be funding the book program for the children.
There are several ways to sign up age-eligible children in Blaine County. The Plant a Seed…Read! website has forms and information about the monthly book program. Go to plantaseedreadmt.org and click on ‘about’ at the top of the home page. Scroll down to the section describing the Imagination Library (there is also a video by Dolly Parton in the section) and click on “download registration form.” Complete the form and mail it to Plant a Seed, Box 782, Havre, MT 59501. You can also take the form to the Plant a Seed…Read! office at 2229 5th Avenue in Havre. No access to the internet? Call 265-6743 and request a form or go to the Blaine County Library in Chinook to pick up a form.
Photo contest also in the works
Plant a Seed…Read! is sponsoring its third annual photo contest. Anyone, child or adult, can take a photo to enter. The theme has to do with the importance of reading with and aloud to young children. See plantaseedreadmt.org for release forms and where photos should be delivered. Two things of importance with the photo contest: entries must be received November 1 and the winner in both Hill and Blaine County will receive a $100 gift certificate from the local chamber in the county.
And for folks who would
like to donate…
Local Plant a Seed…Read! Director Verploegen said people wishing to underwrite the cost of the monthly book program, to assure children keep receiving books after the grant program expires, can donate by going to the website or calling 265-6743 for information. A $25 gift provides a book a month to a child. Donations are tax free.
