The Bright Red Bookshelf program has received a $500 grant from the North Thompson Communities Foundation. The money was put towards supplies to maintain the bookshelves and the purchase of new children’s books to stock them.
Clearwater and Area Literacy launched the Bright Red Bookshelf in June 2010. The program circulates new or gently-used children’s books back into the community.
The purpose of the program is to put books in the hands of children. Book ownership and readership are important for enhancing a child’s reading skills and vocabulary, as well as to foster interest in reading and a love of books.
Books are displayed on Bright Red Bookshelves at various community locations. Young children are free to take a book home with them. They can keep the book, or when they are done with it they can return it to any bookshelf and trade it for a new one. The program is funded through grants such as the one from the North Thompson Communities Foundation, and cash donations.
The Bright Red Bookshelf program was also made possible through the effort of many generous individuals. Brent Buck and his students at Clearwater Secondary School, along with Hans Straub, built the bookshelves through kind donations of time and materials. Wells Gray Home Hardware donated paint for the bookshelves and the Challengers helped paint them. The family of Belle McGregor made a financial contribution that has allowed the construction of two more bookshelves that will be located in the area.
Bright Red Bookshelves can be found at Clearwater Employment Services, North Thompson Aboriginal Sharing Centre, Community Resource Centre, Medical Centre and Yellowhead Community Services. Book donations can be placed in the donation bins located at the bottom of each bookshelf or dropped off at Raft River School, Yellowhead Community Services or Clearwater Employment Services. For more information please contact Kerry Milner Cairns, literacy outreach coordinator at 250-674-2600.