BUTTE — A national nonprofit that has been helping children learn to read and build their personal libraries has been available to Butte families for years.
Now, thanks to a charitable contribution the program is expanding to other families in Southwest Montana.
"A lot of these books, when you go to the stores, they’re 9,10, 12 dollars for just simple books like this," says Robert Bolstad, a Butte parent.
He and his wife Amber Bolstad are spending a quiet afternoon at home reading to their 18-month-old daughter Arwen. She can’t read yet, but it’s clear she is engaged in the activity.
She receives a free brand new book each month from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
"She can learn about shapes, colors, animals — whatever she’s gonna be interested in when she gets older," says Bolstad.
Along with help from Montana First Lady Susan Gianforte’s foundation, the Butte 4-C’s has covered the costs for books and mailing for over 1,200 of the Mining City’s littlest readers. Now another charitable organization is chipping in to expand the program.
"My wife Sheila and I are pleased to support Imagination Library and help further its impact in Montana, the place we call home," says John Lake of the Amicus Foundation.
In November, the Amicus Foundation joined the cause announcing funding for Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Jefferson, Madison, and Silver Bow counties.
The Amicus Foundation was established in 2015 with a focus on strategic investments in conservation, education, faith, families, health, and veterans.
For Dawnann Davis, who regularly works with families of young children at the Butte 4-C’s, the process of learning to read is a fundamental step that helps set young children up for success when they enter school.
"Books, regardless if you can read or not, can always be engaging. You know, especially the Dolly Parton books. They’re always bright, colorful — you can talk about colors, numbers, animals, and even just simply pointing at the pictures will help your child develop those literary skills," says Dawnann Davis, the zero to five collaborative coordinator for Butte 4 C's.
For Bolstad, the free books have the additional benefit of granting him more quality time with his baby.
"Life is busy. You got work. You got school. You got this to do. You got errands. You got groceries, you got all this stuff and it just takes 10 to 15 minutes to sit down and read a little story for her," says Bolstad.
You can get more information about how to sign up by visiting Butte 4-C's, or check out the Imagination Library website.
