This beautiful tree and wonderful selection of children’s books is the County Kids Read tree for the annual Festival of Trees campaign. The auction begins November 12 at 10 a.m. and runs through to November 29 at 9 p.m. All proceeds go to the Prince Edward County hospital auxiliary. This year’s festival will take place on-line at www.pecfestivaloftrees.ca.
County Kids Read Provides Learning Kits and Books for Young Students at PECI
County Kids Read volunteers Anne Preston and Brenda Franks finished packaging, organizing and distributing the home-learning kits and books to teachers at PECI. A big thank you to Brenda for organizing all of this. In all, 72 learning kits were put together and 135 books were handed out. Over 50% of the students received learning kits. The teachers were most appreciative. In conversation, they told us that during pandemic school closures they are are not reaching 50 - 65% of the students in their classes.
County Kids Read Receives Grant from Emergency Communities Support Fund
County Kids Read would like to thank the County Foundation and the Community Foundations of Canada Team for approving our grant request under the Emergency Communities Support Fund.
The Fund provides financial support to charities adapting their front-line services to support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will enable County Kids Read to provide books and learning packages to children in need in the County and to help ensure that our most vulnerable children do not become more vulnerable during this pandemic.
If you would like to donate to County Kids Read and the important work that we do, please consider making a donation, either on a yearly or monthly basis on this website.
Online Storytime for Toddlers
Here is an online storybook list that one of our County Kids Read volunteers compiled for her 3 year-old granddaughters. Maybe your children will enjoy them too.
Brown Bear Brown Bear https://youtu.be/pdHCYgO9zh8
Harry the Dirty Dog https://www.storylineonline.net/books/harry-the-dirty-dog/
Madeline https://youtu.be/JZQ3Or84G9U
Noah's Ark https://vimeo.com/56055146
Owl Babies https://vimeo.com/55971653
Penguin https://vimeo.com/58744168
The Rainbow Fish https://youtu.be/r9mryuEKkKc
The Snowy Day https://youtu.be/QYWodTneq-Q
The Tale of Peter Rabbit https://youtu.be/p_LeUSA-qIg
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly https://youtu.be/Q4TMlrXkDMI
This is Our House https://vimeo.com/58214461
You're All My Favourites https://vimeo.com/53710714
We're Going on a Bear Hunt https://youtu.be/Iou5LV9dRP0
The Very Hungry Caterpillar https://youtu.be/vkYmvxP0AJI
The Three Bears https://youtu.be/7C_b0-D8KMk
Distribution of Books Through County Food Banks
During this challenging time, County Kids Read has been providing free books for children through the local food banks in the County; i.e., Wellington Storehouse, Picton United Church, and the Salvation Army. Beginning this Friday we shall also be providing free books at the Picton Food Terminal (Picton Town Hall).
Story Time with County Kids Read
Parents, caregivers and kids be sure to include a story in your day. The County Kids Read Facebook Page and the PEC Public Library are now featuring Story Time. Every day there will be a new link to a reading of a delightful children's book such as Harry the Dirty Dog, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Please Please the Bees, Strega Nona and many more.
Family Day at Lehigh Centre in Wellington
Wendy Matthews (CKR), Liz Bosma Donovan ( Wellington Rotary) and Sally Keefe-Cohen ( CKR) at the County Kids Read table during the Family Day celebrations in Wellington at Lehigh Arena. Wellington Rotary hosted a children-at-play centre with an online reading program, spelling bee and free books from County Kids Read.
New Display Board at PECI
This photo of Lynne Dickie, Wendy Matthews and Duncan Payne was taken by Brenda Franks in front of an eye-catching County Kids Read display in the front entrance of PECI.
Huff Family Fund Grant
Marlene Fraser accepts a cheque on behalf of County Kids Read from Catherine Huff of the Huff Family Fund for our Cultivating Empathy Through Literacy Project.
The project will enable County Kids Read to arrange author visits to local schools and purchase books that facilitate social and emotional competence in children.
PECI Grade 6 Class Visits CKR Book Room
Friday the 13th was not unlucky for grade 6 students from Prince Edward Collegiate Institute. They enjoyed a visit to the County Kids Read book room and every student took home a book they had chosen. Their teacher reports, “The children were so excited to have a new book - and how lovely for them to get a gift right before the holidays.”
Grade 6 students from PECI give thumbs up for new books to read over the holidays