Legacy of Literacy In 1998, our club asked how we could help our community reach the goal of “all children reading at or above grade level by third grade.” In 1999 we received a $20,000 Rotary International Children’s Opportunity Grant which allowed us to 1) pilot an intervention program for 4-year-old children with delayed language development, 2) increase community-wide awareness of the importance of early literacy, and 3) increase visibility of Rotary service. The intervention program got results but cost almost $2,000 per child, so we decided to focus mainly on preventing developmental delays by promoting literacy-rich activities with families and their children from birth to five years of age. Rotarians began collaborating with other literacy-related groups, including the public library’s Stories 2000 project. In 2001 Rotarians helped create Baby Talk, a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization whose purpose is to increase language and literacy in children from birth to 8 years and nurture parent-child relationships. The name is now Raising Readers in Story County and Rotarians are still key leaders. Another valuable way our club supports community literacy awareness is by hosting the website for the Raising Readers organization. It provides literacy information for parents, providers, and community members. A link appears on our homepage, www.amesamrotary.org, or the site can be accessed directly at www.raising-readers.org. Ames Morning Rotary Club was instrumental in starting Reach Out and Read (ROR), a program in which 1) doctors encourage families to read aloud, 2) children receive books at check-ups from 6 months to 5 years, and 3) waiting rooms are literacy-rich environments. Research shows ROR programs increase the amount of reading parents do at home and children show significant gains in language and literacy development. In 2002 our club created a reading corner in the McFarland Clinic pediatric waiting room with a bookcase and books and a glider rocker. The club also began purchasing children’s books for ROR-trained pediatricians to give to children at the 6-month check-up. As the ROR program continued to expand, so did the number of 6-month books our club provided. In 2007, ROR is county-wide and Ames Morning Rotary is a Lead Sponsor, donating $3,000 annually for books at the 6-month level. The club donates one of these ROR books in honor of each speaker. Speakers sign the Rotary label on the back of each book. When a Rotarian announces they are a parent or grandparent of a new baby, the club gives them a new board book for the baby. Because of our club’s reputation for literacy leadership, our members have been asked to lead the District 6000 Literacy Promotion Team since 2000. First we created a Rotary campaign, Kids Who Read Succeed, to encourage all clubs to promote literacy. We received additional funding from a Rotary Matching Grant and a Community Assistance grant. In 2004 Ames Morning Rotarians contributed books for a library in Xicotepec, Mexico. We also created a library check-out system and helped other Rotarians donate books to Xicotepec. In November 2006 we helped launch a district-wide fund-raising campaign, Rotarians for Reach Out and Read, to raise $30,000 to expand ROR in Iowa. We have provided literacy displays and programs at district conferences and given literacy programs to many clubs in our district. Ames Morning Rotary received the 2007-2008 Rotary International Public Relations Award for our community campaign to promote early literacy. The tri-fold display we created has traveled to member work sites to highlight our clubs literacy projects. In 2007 and 2008, our club adopted Edwards Elementary School and some members volunteered in K-3 classrooms to support literacy. In February of 2009, seven club members traveled to Honduras to help create a new community library for the town of El Porvenir. Back home, with the assistance of Ames Noon Rotary, our club donated additional funds to provide technology, books and furniture for the library. We believe children everywhere benefit when they grow up in an environment that stimulates their language and literacy development. On May 2, 2009, Ames Morning Rotary hosted STEP INTO STORYBOOKS, a free interactive event for families with children under age 8. Eighteen community partners helped create fun book-related stations for children. The activities made storybooks come to life and encouraged families to enjoy reading together. A team of club members planned the event, and 47 Rotarians and 10 community members volunteered that day. Over 500 children and family members participated. Comments at the event and later feedback through a Monkey survey were so positive that the club hopes to repeat the program in 2010. Photos are posted at http://www.amesamrotary.org/STORYBOOKS%20EVENT%20PICTURES/index.htm . For additional information, please contact: Article Updated: August 25, 2009
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