Sunshine Coast Lions Club Donates to Support Early Literacy Through Imagination Library
The Sunshine Coast Lions Club is helping to spark a lifelong love of reading for local children with a generous $4,000 donation to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
Lions Club members Dave Wright and Al Hailey recently presented Kirsten Deasey, SD46 District Principal of Learning, Innovation & Child Care, with cheques totaling $4,000 to help bring Imagination Library books to children on the Sunshine Coast. Also in attendance were parents and children enjoying books from the program, along with SD46 staff Jane van Klinken, Sarah Stenzel, and Rachel Watson.
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library mails one free, high-quality book every month to registered children from birth to age five—building home libraries and making it easier for families to enjoy reading together. This donation will support hundreds of young children to receive a free book in the mail each month, helping to bring the joy of literacy to homes across the Sunshine Coast.
Research continues to show just how powerful it is when families read together. Studies have found that children whose parents or caregivers regularly share books with them develop stronger language skills, larger vocabularies, and better early literacy skills. Simply spending time reading and talking about stories helps children learn new words, understand how books work, and build important skills they will use when they begin school.
Child development experts also remind us that reading together is about much more than learning to read. It creates warm, connected moments between children and the adults who care for them. Snuggling up with a book builds confidence, supports healthy brain development, and helps children feel safe and loved. These positive early experiences lay the foundation for lifelong learning and well-being.
As the longest-running affiliate of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Canada, School District 46 is proud to partner with the Sunshine Coast Lions Club to expand early literacy opportunities for children and families across the region.
Families with children five years old or younger can register to receive a free book in the mail each month through the school district’s SPARK! early learning program. SPARK! is offered in multiple locations on the Coast, including virtually, and connects families with other families with children the same age, along with information and resources about literacy and learning.
Families can register here: https://early-learning.sd46.bc.ca/
Through community partnerships like this one, the joy of reading continues to grow — one book, one child, and one family at a time.
