PARSONS – All Tucker County babies born at Davis Medical Center are eligible for a monthly program, free of charge, aimed at developing literacy, a love a reading and family bonding through reading. The program, the Imagination Library, provides children under the age of five with a new book for their home library each month.
Valerie Bright, Director of Volunteer Services at Davis Medical Center, said Davis Medical Center does the enrollment for the Imagination Library program for newborns.
“When we started this program in Jan. 2014, we decided we would do both Randolph and Tucker county babies,” Bright said. “When we spoke with the Tucker County Rotary about co-sponsorship, they made the decision to co-sponsor for Tucker County babies.”
Bright said the program provides a monthly book for children under the age of five. “We have 17 total children from Tucker County on the program.”
The Imagination Library was launched by Dolly Parton and the Dollywood Foundation. It provides pre-school aged children with a free hardcover book each month from birth until five. More than 40 million books have been donated to children since the program began in 1996 and currently, the Imagination Library has programs in more than 1,700 communities across Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
“We thought the program was a great way to get books in the hands of our families and encourage them to read to their children from birth,” Bright said. “The first couple of years, children hear all of the sounds they need for all of their language skills. So the development is very early and reading to children early is very important. We have the opportunity when we register parents in our birthing center to educate them on the importance of starting from the very beginning reading to their children.”
Bright said the very first book provided to children is “The Little Engine That Could.” One book is from a W.Va. author Johanna Kirby, “The Little Pink Pup.”
Melissa Sexton, of Parsons, said her 1-year-old and 3-year-old receive monthly books through the Imagination Library.
“My 3-year old, Rylan, is very excited to receive a book each month,” Sexton said. “We just received one yesterday, and he wants to rip it open and read it the minute it comes. We have to read it to him three or four times before he is satisfied.”
Sexton said she thinks the books will help spark a love of reading in her boys.
“I normally would not go out every month and buy a new book,” Sexton said. “It kind of pushes us to read to them more often also. I am not a big reader myself, but when the boys see the books they definitely want me to read to them more.”
Sexton said the program helps build her children’s library. “When I had my baby shower, we asked for baby books instead of cards, so we have a great selection of children’s books. Folks gave us books and signed their names in them instead of paying $3 or $4 for a card.”
Sexton said the books are very age-appropriate. “In the beginning we got black and white books. They say babies can only see black and white at first. I would want to encourage anyone who is going to have a baby to sign up for the program. There is nothing that obligates you to pay for anything and nobody should turn this service down. It’s a great program.”
Tucker Rotary sponsors Imagination Library books for Tucker County kids under the age of five. Tucker County Rotary member Dan Bucher said sponsoring the cost of the books is a great opportunity. Bucher said Rotary International has had a longstanding relationship with the Dollywood Foundation, which sponsors the Imagination Library. Tucker County children born at Davis Medical Center receive books, paid for through the Tucker County Rotary Club.
“For the Tucker County Rotary Club to become engaged in that project is a natural fit,” Bucher said. “Each month more than 675,000 children under the age of five receive books from the Imagination Library. I am happy to report that in 2014, there have been 17 children in Tucker County receiving books. That is sponsored by this club.”
Bucher said locally, the Davis Health System Auxiliary sponsors the program. “My only grandson is number 100 receiving books in Randolph County.”
Members of the Tucker County Rotary Club sponsor the Imagination Library because they feel the project has a large impact. “Children and infants can be stimulated at a very young age by looking at the pictures and listening to the words. Rotary saw this as a great opportunity and a great service to help newborns and their families.”
“The program is a win-win,” Bucher said. “Parents do not pay anything and hopefully, we will increase literacy rates and there will be some better bonding between parents and their children. These are good books. I enjoy them myself.”
