Read to Feed!

Our Summer Reading Program starts today! Stop by today or later this week to pick up your reading bags (while supplies last) and see what's cookin' at the Red Wing Public Library! Sign-ups for events and tickets for the Zoo Man visit will also be available starting today.

This summer, besides the usual exciting array of animals, music, storytellers and more, the public library is continuing the “Read to Feed” program carried out by Sunnyside and Burnside schools. Through reading, money is raised and donated to Heifer International, a nonprofit organization. This money is used to buy farm animals for families in need around the world. Beatrice’s Goat, a children’s picture book about a real family who received a goat from Heifer International, may be checked out from the library. More information can be found at Heifer International.

Here’s how the library’s program will work:

For every 15 minutes or more of reading or being read to for 5 days, complete the form found in your library bag and at the library, bring it to the Reference Desk, and you will be given a fake dollar. Take this dollar to the boxes in the story well and vote for the animal of your choice by placing it in the designated box. Friends of the Library will match these “dollars” with real money, which will be sent to Heifer International at the end of the summer program to buy these animals. The more minutes spent reading means more animals can be purchased. It is the hope that Read to Feed will encourage children to read as well as become global citizens making a difference.

Along with this, the returned reading forms will be dropped into a box at the Reference Desk. Three names will be drawn weekly to each win a free book.