"Read to Feed" at the Woburn Public Library

Location(s)

The Woburn Public Library Children's Room is holding its 2008 summer reading adventure, "Wild Reads" during the months of June, July and August. This is nothing unusual, but this year the Library is sponsoring Heifer International's "Read to Feed" program in conjunction with "Wild Reads," so that children in Woburn understand world hunger and what they can do to help eliminate it.

Monetary donations will be collected from local businesses during the summer months. This will be used to "buy" animals that will be sent to impoverished families around the world to improve their standard of living. The animals - flocks of ducks, chickens, or geese, goats, llamas, water buffaloes, cows, even hives of bees - are given to these families, and they, in turn, give part of their flocks and herds to other families in their villages. The Library will know ahead of time how much each flock or individual animal costs, and which ones they will be able to afford to donate.

Children participating in the summer reading program will receive one vote for each hour that they read, and will vote on which animals they would like to see purchased. At the conclusion of the summer, the number of hours read will be tallied, and all of the animals will be purchased through Heifer International. (The library will not actually have animals roaming around - they will be buying "virtual" animals, which will be translated into the real thing when they reach the families getting them.)

An informational meeting on Heifer International will be held in the Children's Room from 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday evening, June 17, for interested children and adults who would like to learn more. Children's Librarian Cynthia Fordham will read the book "Beatrice's Goat" and explain in more detail how the reading program and "Read to Feed" program will work. This would also be a great time to sign up for the summer reading program!

Businesses or individuals interested in making donations can send them to the Children's Room, Woburn Public Library, 45 Pleasant Street, P.O. Box 298, Woburn MA 01801. Please make checks payable to "Woburn Public Library."

For more information, please call Cynthia Fordham, Children's Librarian, at 781-937-0405.

Handicap accessibility can be arranged; please contact the Children's Room one week before the program at 781-937-0405 for further information.