The Sunshine Coast Lions Club made a landmark donation to The Dolly Parton Imagination Library, continuing the group's longstanding partnership to support local children's literacy by providing thousands of free books.
The program originated in 1995 in Tennessee and has grown internationally, sending children a free book with their name on it each month up until their fifth birthday.
Kirsten Deasey, District Principal of Learning and Innovation, explained School District 46 is the longest-running Dolly Parton Imagination Library affiliate in Canada and has mailed out more than 62,000 books to kids on the Sunshine Coast.
Since 2015 the Sunshine Coast Lions Club has been supporting the program and has covered the shipping cost of books. In early February, the Sunshine Coast Lions Club donated an additional $4,000 to the Imagination Library, supporting early literacy and connecting children to books.
Parents can register for the Imagination Library through the SPARK! Program online and access a myriad of resources, including advice on how to read to different ages of children.
“We talk to parents about general literacy support and these books, and then also just learning,” said Deasey. “‘Learning happens through talking, singing, reading and playing’ is basically our message in the SPARK! Program.”
Last year the program had more than 340 visits from parents, which Deasey said equated to 1,600 books being mailed out. The books also come with information for the parents on the importance of early literacy as well as specific questions parents can ask their children before and after reading.
“I think they've mailed 99 million books to children around the world,” she said.
The featured books include 19 Canadian authors – one of which is a Sunshine Coast resident.
“There’s so much research about how important it is to read aloud to kids. Especially during these early critical years when kids' brains are developing and they're also developing habits and associations with books and literacy,” said Deasey. “And that closeness of time spent socially and emotionally is just really valuable.”
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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