100 Women funds library's literacy kits

The Okotoks Library just received a big financial boost for their Jumpstart Literacy Kits program.

They were the recipient of the latest 100 Women Who Care Foothills donation, which amounted to $12,800.

The group makes quarterly donations to local initiatives, with members voting on the recipient and each contributing $100.

The library's literacy kits were introduced a few years ago, and are available for families to borrow for one week at a time.

They include books, activities and toys, and also come in a few different themes, including Animals, Fantasy, Nature, and Get Moving.

Acting manager Sarah Gillie says they've proven to be quite popular.

"We also call it 'storytime in a box.' It's really great for families, and grandparents really love it when their grandkids are coming over the weekend." 

"People come to get them and there are none here, they're always out, so that's we need to add more," says Gillie.

This isn't the first time they've received a donation from 100 Women, who contributed funding to the program two years prior.

It was a big driving force behind the program's success, and Gillie is thrilled it'll make the kits more widely available now.

"With the original donation we added about 20 kits, so with this donation, we're hoping to add about 40 more."