The Okotoks Public Library received a donation of $5,500 by 100 Women Who Care Foothills yesterday afternoon.

The organization originally pledged the donation in their August meeting, with the library having decided to use the money to fund their new Jumpstart Literacy Kits Program.

Sarah Gillie, Assistant Director with the Okotoks Public Library says they've already planned for several different kits.

"So far we've been planning to do a Fantasy themed kit; dragons, unicorns, wizards. We're also looking at doing a 'Things That Go' kit, so cars, trains, planes. We're also looking at a Nature kit, a Senses kit. Really the options are endless, it's really whatever we can come up with."

The library provided an example of what one of the finished kits may look like.

She says the contents of each kit will be rather flexible as well.

"The kits are great because although we're going to have five books in the kit, we can switch the books out. If our patrons come to us and say 'we've used this kit a few times, we'd like some new books,' we can easily switch those books out."

Founder of 100 Women Who Care Foothills Karen Love says a representative from the library will pay them a visit in a future meeting to show the finished product off.

"What happens is, once the charity gets the donation, a representative from that charity comes to the next meeting and tells us the impact it actually had, because when they donate, they like to be able to hear the story about where it went. Plus they're going to bring a kit so we can actually get to see it as well!"

100 Women Who Care Foothills make these donations quarterly, voting for one recipient each meeting. Each member then contributes $100 each, which is pooled, and donated to the chosen organization.

Though $100 may seem like a large amount, Love says it actually only amounts to $1.20 per day.

The organization currently sits at 55 members.

 

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