Getting books in the hands of kids. That’s the goal of the First Book Canada program, to get as many young kids reading as possible, to help promote literacy and get kids reading in the city. The Sasktel Pioneers have partnered with First Book Canada and have been active in getting books to the kids of Yorkton and area, distributing over 1,100 books so far, with over 1,000 ready to go to more kids the region.
The group has been focused on the city’s different daycares, explains Jean Bryski, Vice President of the Pioneers. They want to distribute books to as many different kids as possible locally, but she explains that it’s a province wide program that aims to get books in the hands of every kid they can find. They have visited 12 daycares in Yorkton so far, and now they want to get out to the neighboring communities as well.
“It’s a province-wide project, it’s not just Yorkton… The whole idea is that kids have access to books, because if you can’t read there’s not much you can do in school.”
Each place they go, the Pioneers bring a variety of books for kids to choose from along with extras for kids that arrive on a drop-in basis. Bryski says that when they bring books it’s an exciting day, and not just for the kids, who get to choose which book to bring home, but for staff and parents as well.
“These books belong to them. It’s not a book that they have to share or they can’t take home. This book belongs to them, they can take it home.”
The hope is that they can get kids reading before they begin school, and Bryski says that they hope they can get books in the hands of kids who might not otherwise be able to have books of their own.
“There are families where their focus is on feeding them, and clothing their children, they think when they go to school they will be able to access books there. But, at the same time, let’s get them when they’re younger.”
While the local daycares have been the focus for the program, they are not the only place where books have been distributed. Books have been given to Victims Services to help kids when they have to be involved in a court case.
“There are children who are part of a very scary incident in their life sometimes. A book that they can sit in a corner and they can read that is theirs… That way there is a book there to occupy the kids’ time and take their mind off of something that is probably very unpleasant.”
They have also been given to the local SaskTel Store, to help occupy and entertain kids while their parents are doing business. Bryski says that they want to get these books into the hands of children wherever they can.
“Sometimes I think I would like to go into the mall and when I see a little kid go ‘here, would you like a book?’”
