HOULTON, Maine — The Rotary Club of Houlton’s Literacy Committee works in partnership with the Cary Library, the Houlton Higher Education Center, and the area schools to find ways to “Support Family Reading in Aroostook County”.
Local Rotarians volunteer in the elementary school by reading to children on a weekly basis, and the Club supports the Literacy Committee with donations to purchase books for children, across a wide age span. The Cary Library runs its annual summer reading program, along with the summer Book Swap program hosted by the Houlton Higher Education Center. Free books are given out during the annual light parade, and at other community events throughout the year.
During the month of February, the “READ To ME Challenge” campaign was supported by the Literacy Committee and its partners. The campaign is designed to promote childhood literacy in Maine and is an opportunity to contribute to a child’s literacy growth by reading aloud to one or more children for at least 15 minutes a day.
The month began with a special visit to Houlton Elementary and Houlton Southside schools by the First Lady of Maine, Ann LePage. LePage and Leeann Larson, early learning team coordinator from the Maine Department of Education, also spoke to local Rotarians about the importance of literacy to a community and thanked the Houlton Club for their efforts.
Additionally, each Saturday in February, a Reading Event was held at particular location in the community. The kick-off took place as part of the annual Moosestompers festivities, with a 2-hour session at the Millar Arena during open skate time. There were also crafts, coloring, and hot chocolate.
Other hosts for the Saturday events included the Houlton Higher Education Center, the Cary Library, and the County Co-op. A total of 50 children completed the reading challenge and each received a free Disney book to take home.
To complete, one simply read with or to a child/children for at least 15 minutes. Photos of the experience were posted to the host’s Facebook page with the #ReadtoME and #ReadaloudME hashtags.
The month-long focused events ended with a special appearance of “The Cat In The Hat” to a group of second graders at Houlton Elementary School. Each second grader received a free book and cupcakes as part of a celebration for Dr. Suess’ birthday. The birthday celebration is also a kick-off to the national Read Across America Day.
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- Cooper Scott shows off the book he selected as part of the “Read to Me” challenge during the month of February. (Courtesy of Tracy Rockwell)
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- Shelby Scott selected a “Frozen” book as her reward for the “Read to Me” challenge in Houlton. (Courtesy of Tracy Rockwell)
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- Lillie Henderson and Jean Henderson read a book during the recent “Read to Me” Challenge. (Courtesy of Tracy Rockwell)
