B2 Weekend of March 14-15, 2020
The Dalles Chronicle
TheDallesChronicle.com
First Book grants give books to local children
Distributions
begin for preschool
children, additional
grants planned for
elementary grades
“It was a sweet moment between father and daughter.”
Nancy Paul
it while he was sitting on the
potty.”
The content of books can
be meaningful to the child’s
experience in addition to
HE NEXT DOOR HAS
teaching literacy skills that
been distributing
will last a lifetime. Once the
their new shipment
First Book grant is fully used,
of books to families for
about 80 low income chil-
the last few weeks during
regularly scheduled Home
dren will have received about
Visits through a grant from
six books each, she said.
First Book-Wasco County’s
On Feb. 25, Oregon Child
Healthy Families program.
Development Coalition’s
Reactions to receiving new Migrant Head Start in The
books are always fun to ob-
Dalles had their First Book
serve, said First Book-Wasco book grant distribution.
County founder Nancy Paul. Teachers in each classroom
“Toddlers become especially talked to the parents about
excited to receive a new book the importance of litera-
and they usually respond
cy and reading with their
with ‘yeah’ and curiosity
child. They talked about the
about what the book is about. children’s favorite books at
It is the natural curiosity of
school and what a group
toddlers, combined with
“read aloud” looked like.
their enthusiasm over new
Each child in the current pro-
things, that paint a beautiful gram was given two books.
scene of early literacy.”
Afterwards, parents were
One 2-year-old was so
given time to read the new
enthusiastic about her new
books with their child.
book she handed it to her
Teachers talked about dif-
dad and climbed into his
ferent ways to read with their
lap and asked him to read
child, depending on their
it immediately, Paul said.
age, and different questions
“It was a sweet moment
they could ask the children.
between father and daugh-
“The parents commented
that the books were full of
ter. A preschool aged boy
beautiful, colorful pictures
was so thrilled to receive a
and they were excited that
book called “Diapers Are
the books were either in
Not Forever,” that he took it
Spanish or bilingual so the
to the bathroom with him
whole family could enjoy
and asked his mom to read
T
them,” Paul said. The children
were excited to be given two
books of their very own and
went around showing their
friends.
Another event is planned
for the summer migrant
program.
In the fall, the Wasco
County Advisory Board
hopes to give book grants
to Chenowith and Colonel
Wright elementary schools,
Maupin school, Mid-
Columbia Children Council’s
Head Start and Celilo school.
“The community can
help raise funds by holding
birthday parties honoring the
mission of First Book, buying
book ownership stickers in
memory or honor of a loved
one, having fundraisers to
generate funds for literacy
of children, or having a First
Book display in a business
and giving patrons the op-
portunity to buy First Book
book ownership stickers for
$3 a sticker,” Paul said.
Donations are tax deduct-
ible through the 501(3)c
nonprofit national First Book
effort in Washington D.C.,
where all funds are sent.
All funds are used for
books in Wasco County.
Volunteers are needed for
fundraising and publicity.
For more information on this
local literacy effort contact
Serious Theater auditions open
Serious Theater kicks off
their 2020 season with au-
ditions for a new play, “The
King, The Final Hours.”
“The King, The Final
Hours,” is written by New
York playwright Mark
Macias, and premiered
Off-Broadway in New
York City, selling out three
weeks of performances in
October of 2019. It received
positive reviews in the New
York Post, NY 1, Channel
Ann Margret roles require
11, Catholic TV, Brooklyn
singing.
Eagle, Broadway World,
Talkin’ Broadway and the
Brooklyn Gazette.
The play calls for both a
young and an old Elvis, Ann
THE DALLES CHRONICLE (ISSN 0747-3443)
Margret, Priscilla Presley,
is published twice weekly, every Wednesday
Gladys Presley (Elvis’
and Saturday. Subscription rates: One year
mother) and Colonel Tom
print subscription and digital access $55. Six
month print subscription and digital access
Parker (Elvis’ manager) as
$35.Three month print subscription and dig-
well as a number of small
ital access $21. Known office of publication,
parts for men and women
811 E. Second St.,The Dalles, OR 97058. Pe-
(many of which can be
riodical postage is paid at The Dalles, Ore-
combined). The Elvis and
gon. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to THE DALLES CHRONICLE, P.O. Box 1910,
The Dalles, OR 97058.
This The Next Door Family Services Home Visit family were among those receiving a “First Book” book
to read in their home, funded by a grant from First Book/Wasco County.
Contributed photo
Nancy Johanson Paul, 541-
490-5330 or nancypaul@
gorge.net. Tax deductible
donations can be sent to First
Book/Wasco County PO Box
82 The Dalles, Oregon 97058.
BONUS WINNER #6
ANSWER
Siena Gross
cashed in as a bonus winner in this year’s
Kids Subscription Campaign!
Check us out
on Facebook
The Dalles Chronicle
IT’S HAPPENING NOW!
Spread the News
Kids Subscription Campaign Ends March 14
Hey Bandit,
A microwave & a
refrigerator get
married. Who makes
the speech?
A toaster!
Spring Sale
Let us help you take home the best appliance you can afford!
New and used appliances | Immediate Delivery or Next Day | Open Mon.-Fri. 9am to 6pm
Independent dealers for GE Appliances in The Dalles
423 E. 2nd Street • The Dalles • 541-296-3150
www.pioneerappliances.com
Tim & Leta Barclift (owners) & Bandit too
