Kiwanis Club of Stratford
Public Library on Wheels

One of the new projects the Kiwanis Club of Stratford has supported through its Young Children:  Priority One Committee is the Stratford Public Public Library on Wheels (PLOW). This project is totally funded by donations to and money raised by the Stratford Public Library Foundation.  The goal of PLOW is to promote the love of books and enhance the development of literacy skills in preschool children, especially those in areas with large numbers of ‘at risk’ children, or areas where people do not have ready access to a public library.  This project was launched in September 2004 and has enjoyed a great deal of success in achieving its objectives, thanks to a dedicated and talented librarian, Trish Macgregor.  Trish engaged groups of 10 to 40 preschoolers over the summer months with a variety of songs, drama, and stories at sites such as Upper Queen’s Park, the McDonald’s restaurant and Parks and Recreation day camps.

Her greatest challenge was the group assembled at the Children’s Aid Society day camp in a financially and socially challenged neighborhood.  She endeavored to deliver to these kids “the best books and parenting materials that we have…and the best possible program to meet their needs”.  She challenged the group to read 500 books over the summer.    Children who entered the program proclaiming that “books are boring” and “I hate books” met and surpassed this goal.  At the end of the program they presented Trish with a pile of hand made ‘Thank you’ cards, one of which declared:  “You a god libeary lade”!

In supporting this project our Club joins with many other Kiwanis clubs around the world which have selected literacy as a strategic priority in their mission to “serve the children of the world”.