Fall is All About Fresh Starts

With the arrival of autumn, County Kids Read is bringing a fresh approach to our website and social media.

Check out our  website and click on the “Updates” page, which will now offer regular bi-weekly posts of any news or events involving CKR. These posts can also be found on our Facebook page. We welcome you to follow us @CountyKidsRead.

Did you know we have a newsletter . . . ?

Every month you can receive the CKR newsletter directly in your inbox, offering a more detailed look at recent news and events. Head to the “Newsletter” tab on our homepage, enter your name and email address, and simply click subscribe.

The fall season also means that kids are back to school. As children head back to the classroom, it’s important to reflect on the changes the pandemic inflicted on their education. School closures and interruptions in daily instruction has had a long-term impact on children and their learning. Now more than ever, children will need on-going support so that Covid does not create what the United Nations has called “a lost generation of young people” (2020). Please consider MAKING A DONATION to CKR. Simply hit the “donate” button on our website, and we can begin to fill those backpacks with books.

Let’s all do our part, one page at a time!

Back to school in PEC . . .

Vaccinations and Books to Read

County Kids Read, in partnership with the PEC Health Team and the Municipality, has set up a collection of children’s books at the Picton Vaccination Clinic. The vaccination clinic for children aged 5 to 12 is being held Saturday, January 29 as well as the weekend of February 5 at the Prince Edward Community Centre. As the children wait for 15 minutes after receiving their shot, they will be invited to choose a book to take home with them.

Anne Preston and Kate McNaughton pack up books to go to the Vaccination Clinic

A variety of books on display for the children who come to the Vaccination Clinic

Reading Round-Up at Macaulay Village Park

County Kids Read, Prince Edward Learning Centre, and the Prince Edward County library set up their tables last Thursday at the parkette at Macaulay Village Park for a Reading Round-Up. Many families dropped by the red tent, received free cards to PEC Fresh Market, a library card, and free books from County Kids Read.

Summer Reading

County Kids Read has been busy this month distributing books, learning kits and comfort kits  to the students of PECI and Sophiasburgh.   The photo shows one of the students from PECI reading a County Kids Read book. 

County Kids Read Kits for Sophiasburgh Students

Volunteer Deb Grund recently dropped off books, Early Learning Kits and some Summer Chill Packs for the students at Sophiasburgh School to pick up next week. Principal Lee Mahon-Prophet is shown in the photo busily sorting in preparation.

County Kids Read and PEC Library

The PEC library has a wonderful summer program organized this year. Please click the link here and contact the library for more information.

PEC Library Summer Programs for Kids

County Kids Read Receives Municipal and Parrott Foundation Grants

We are very pleased to announce that County Kids Read has been awarded a Municipal Grant and a grant from the Parrott Foundation.

The Municipal Grant will be used to purchase Board Books for our program with a focus on three early intervention programs - Babies and Beyond, Prescription to Read, and Books for County Babies.

The Parrot Foundation Grant will be used to implement a literacy, learning and well-being response project to address pressing issues that have arisen due to the pandemic, including learning gaps and increased anxiety among school children ages 5 to 12. By distributing learning kits and mental health kits, we will reinforce literacy skills and development, and alleviate the levels of worry and anxiety for our most vulnerable children. 

Donation from Costmary Book Club

Anne Preston of County Kids Read receives a donation from the Costmary Book Club. The donation was made in honour and with fond memories of their friend and colleague Pauline Jenkins. Presenting the cheque is Carolynn Whiteley with Jill Hill.

PEC Helping PEC - COVID19 Fund

County Kids Read has received a grant from the PEC Helping PEC - Covid 19 Fund. Funding will allow County Kids Read to purchase books to distribute to County families with a focus on supporting early literacy development in children from birth to Grade three. Books will be both non-fiction, fiction and will include books focusing on anxiety and mental health. "With the impact of COVID-19 on the start of the school year, many children are experiencing higher levels of worry and distress."  CAHM (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto)

County Kids Read Donates Books to Grade 5 Students at PECI

As class visits to CKR’s Book Room are not currently possible because of COVID, we’ve had to rethink how we can get books to the children safely during these challenging times. Many of the elementary grade teachers at PECI are kindly making themselves available after school to come in and choose books for their students.