LIMA, OH (WLIO)- A local girl scout made a generous donation to ensure that all kids have access to free books!
12 year-old Kaelee Burkholder with Girl Scout Troop 21252 donated a Little Free Library to the Lima Memorial Health System Pediatrics Office. On Tuesday Evening, Kaelee and her fellow girl scouts filled the library with free age-appropriate books to kids of all ages. Kaelee constructed and painted the library herself for her Girl Scout Bronze Award Project where she put in 20 hours of work to build. Before the ceremony, we spoke with Kaelee on why this project was very important to fulfill.
"It will... it will make them want to have some books and let them read and stuff," says Kaelee Burkholder, Girl Scout with Troop 21252.
And Kaelee's thoughtful donation not only provides kids with access to free books but could also provide important health benefits as well. After the library unveiling, we spoke to a Lima Memorial Health System Pediatrician on why books are so important for kids of all ages.
"So, really we know that reading is kind of like speech; you just don't learn it in the first grade. If you're getting age appropriate books from like six months on, reading just kind of comes as a natural entity to you. The learning the love to read will help also with a lifelong love of learning and with that comes a lifelong opportunity," says Melody Stewart-Cyrus, MD, Physician & Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Lima Memorial Health System Pediatrics.
The Little Free Library is now ready to use, and everyone is welcome to take a book and leave a book to help promote literacy.
