Book Buddies encourage kids to love reading

MANSON - On Saturday, Nov. 25 Manson will host its annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Manson Grange from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  While waiting for Santa to arrive guests can shop for unique handcrafted items, including a variety of baked goods being offered by Lake Chelan Rotary to supplement its ongoing financial contribution to its Book Buddies reading program.  Raffle baskets with reading materials will also be offered.

Book Buddies was launched by Rotary in 2020 with the objective of complementing the efforts of Chelan and Manson elementary school teachers to enhance their students' basic reading skills and encourage a life-long love for reading.   Currently there are 27 Book Buddy volunteers who visit each elementary school twice a month to read stories to first, second, and third graders in the classroom and work one-on-one with selected students in the library. 

Book Buddies also offers Chelan and Manson students a book giveaway program that allows them to choose a book to keep for themselves and take home.  Once a month at Morgen Owings Elementary all first and second graders are able to choose a book to keep and at the end of the school year they are each given five books to keep and take home to read during the summer.  There is a similar giveaway program in Manson for second and third graders.  The result is Book Buddies has given away over 1,500 books since September 2022 to approximately 150 very happy young readers.

Join Rotary at the Manson Grange on Nov. 25 and pick up a baked treat for the holidays while at the same time knowing you are supporting a program that is dedicated to honing young readers skills and promoting the joy and lifelong advantages of reading.

Donations to the program can also be made to:  Lake Chelan Rotary Community & International Fund, PO Box 601, Chelan, WA 98816.  Please note “Book Buddies Donation” in the check memo field.

For more information: Valerie Roerich, (970) 620-1611, vrohrich@gmail.com