Looking Back at the Year: I Love to Read Month

WRITTEN BY BRITTANY BELL 

The Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg I Love to Read committee celebrates I Love to Read month every February with the children at the Children’s Cancer Care Unit. The theme this year is “The Great Canadian Reading Race”. The titles donated reflected the diversity across Canada and what it means to be Canadian. Two books, CARSON CROSSES CANADA by Linda Bailey & Kass Reich and I AM CANADA by Heather Patterson were read to the children, their siblings and their parents. A craft kit, including a Canadian colouring book and supplies to create beaver puppets and maple leaf origami birds were left for the children and their families.

The Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg was once again honoured to  present Dawn Kidder, Cancer Care’s Child Life Specialist, with a monetary  donation of $350.00. This donation will be used to purchase books and support materials for the clinic.

While visiting the Cancer Care Unit, I was able to get a small glimpse of the magic that occurs here each and every day. I had the privilege of being present during the music therapists Tuesday visit, for which I was awestruck. Words cannot describe the serenity and state of peace that was brought to the clinic through her beautiful music. After reading the two stories to the children and their families, I was also blessed enough to be able to sit down with a few eager girls and help them create their own beaver puppets. It’s in these simple acts that normalization can occur for these children at a time when life may seem anything but normal.

I hope the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg’s involvement can continue to inspire children and their families to share in the joy and love of literacy.

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​About the Author – Brittany Bell serves as the I Love to Read Committee Chair on the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg. Brittany currently teaches Grade 3 at Mitchell Elementary School in Hanover School Division. She is passionate about helping students find pleasure and enjoyment in reading.