The Kaua‘i Association for Family and Community Education contributed 30 books to the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital Birthing Center as part of its “Books for Newborns” program. “Encouraging reading at a young age is important for the education of our
The Kaua‘i Association for Family and Community Education contributed 30 books to the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital Birthing Center as part of its “Books for Newborns” program.
“Encouraging reading at a young age is important for the education of our children,” said Lenore Klass of KAFCE in an email. “KAFCE embraces this idea through its ‘Books for Newborns Project.’”
Klass said each year in April, new books are selected and purchased by the KAFCE Club sponsoring “Books for Newborns.”
Club Musubi has been managing this project for the past several years, acquiring the books, arranging for the donation and organizing the distribution of books.
Klass said the books presented to the KVMH Birthing Center will be given to each newborn at KVMH.
“We envision these new mothers sitting down to cuddle and read the books to their child at an early age, pointing out drawings and words to encourage their interest in reading,” Klass said. “Over time, these children will take up the books and try to read them on their own. It is known that children who are read to, early on, begin reading sooner than those who did not have this advantage.”
Jill Kouchi and Blanche Panquites of Club Musubi arranged to have Jenneen Ragasa and Naomi Almodova of the KVMH Birthing Center meet the KAFCE members during the book distribution.
For more information on the Books for Newborns, or to make a contribution to the project, call Kouchi at 822-9210.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
