Dr. Colette Lothe (left) receives a donation for Reach out and Read from MEA representative Becky Jacobson.
Marshalltown Community School District employees donated $870.10 to Marshall County Reach Out and Read, a program that promotes early literacy.
Becky Jacobson and Nicole Christensen, the Reach Out and Read co-chairs from the Marshalltown Education Association, presented a check for $870.10 to Colette Lothe, Marshall County Pediatrician and the Marshall County Reach Out and Read Committee at their recent board meeting.
The MEA facilitated the fund drive for all the employees of the Marshalltown Community School District.
“We offered all MCSD employees the chance to participate in this great cause to help kids get literacy experiences,” said Jacobson. “On behalf of all the Marshalltown Community School District employees and members of the MEA, we are very proud to present this check to the Reach Out and Read Program.”
Money was collected during January and February to benefit the program that provides books for 3-year-old children at their regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments.
According to Betsy Macke, Chair of the Marshall County Reach Out and Read program, these funds will be used to provide a children’s book to every 3-year-old child seen by a Marshalltown physician at their well child check up. In addition, every physician will talk to the parents about the importance of reading to their child for at least 20 minutes each day.
“Our school staff knows that it is crucial for children to develop good language skills,” said Macke. “Of all parent and child activities, reading aloud provides the richest exposure to language. National studies have shown that children whose doctor participates in the Reach Out and Read program enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed and have stronger language skills.”
Macke and the Reach Out and Read Board expressed their appreciation to receive this donation from the MCSD teachers and personnel through the fund drive sponsored by the MEA.
