To the Editor:

I am the secretary of the Potsdam Kiwanis Club and I am writing to ask for your help. The purpose of Kiwanis International is “to improve the quality of life for children and families worldwide” and our Kiwanis Club provides many of our programs with this in mind for the children in our area communities.

In 2002, the Potsdam Kiwanis Club developed a program entitled “Read Around the World.” The program objectives are to increase access to books and to provide reading activities for children as well as to motivate children and their families to read at the Head Start level.

The Potsdam Kiwanis Club, in collaboration with the Potsdam Public Library and local financial sponsors conducts this multi-year program in the Potsdam, Parishville, and Norwood Head Start programs.

We are asking you to consider becoming a local business partner by sponsoring our program for $500. This is only a suggestion, as we would appreciate any amount you feel comfortable donating. We would be greatly appreciative of any help.

We use all of the funds to purchase books to start a home library for each child in each of the Head Start programs.  We are hoping to give the children seven books this year, costing close to one thousand, two hundred dollars ($1,200.00). By purchasing these books through the library we obtain their discount.

For each book we purchase, a Kiwanian or business sponsor has the opportunity to read the book to the students at each Head Start and at the end, the Kiwanian or sponsor gives each child a book.

We encourage our business sponsors to join us in reading a book to one of the head start classes. The child brings the book home to add to their library collection and is encouraged to ask a parent or sibling to read that book again, which allows the child not only to have a story read to them, but gives them a chance to learn the words that are being read to them.

Once in a while, we get a book that is actually a song, giving the reader not only a chance to read the book, but to lead the children in a sing along. The children really come alive after learning a new song. Several hundred books have been distributed to local children since the inception of this program in 2002. Hopefully, you will agree not only to the help sponsor the program, but also to join us for a reading session with the children.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me c/o Kiwanis Club of Potsdam, PO Box 793, Potsdam, NY  13676, call me at 315-212-3473 or email me at volunteer0105@yahoo.com.   Little by little, Kiwanis is working to make our corner of the world a better place to live and we know you are equally committed to our community. I hope to hear from you in regard to our reading program, and more importantly, I hope that you will consider reading once during the year.

Carla Ingram, Kiwanis Club of Potsdam