Governor visits local school on The Murfreesboro Post

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2009 3:41 pm

Governor visits local school | Schools, Books From Birth, Imagination Library, Phil Bredesen, MCS

Gov. Phil Bredesen read “The very Hungry Catepillar” and “The Little Engine That Could” to Liz Fite’s 4-year-old students at Bellwood-Bowdoin Preschool on Thursday.

Gov. Phil Bredesen read two of his favorite books to a group of preschoolers Thursday at Bellwood-Bowdoin Preschool as part of the fourth annual Imagination Library Week.

“I think that having books in the mail and at home … helps to build a love of books early in life,” Bredesen said about reading “The very Hungry Catepillar” and “The Little Engine That Could” to Liz Fite’s 4-year-old students.

Bredesen made the appearance to urge communities across the state to celebrate the benefits of books for young children. Bredesen proclaimed Sept. 13-19 as Imagination Library Week, which is full of events aimed at boosting enrollment and community investment across the state.

The governor singled out Rutherford County as a success story for the free-books program, where 63 percent of children under the age of 5 years are enrolled in the program, compared to 57 percent statewide.

“Now that almost 60 percent of all eligible children in Tennessee is registered in this important pre-kindergarten literacy program, I recognize there are still many more families with young children left to reach," Bredesen said.

"Imagination Library Week is an opportunity to generate greater awareness for the program,” he continued, “and the importance of reading to children regularly as preparation for formal education.”

Rutherford County has the third highest percentage of all the urban counties in the state,” Bredesen said, adding Rutherford County Books from Birth is the perfect example of public funds and private donations working together for the good of children.

“They don’t call us the Volunteer State for nothing,” he said.

The cost of delivering 12 hardback books to one child is $28 annually, split evenly between each county’s non-profit sponsoring organization and a state budgetary allocation administered by the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation®. Meaning, Imagination Library county sponsoring organizations must raise $14 per child, per year.

Bredesen also thanked Country legend Dolly Parton, who created the Imagination Library in 1996 in her hometown of Sevierville, Tenn., to send a new, age-appropriate, high-quality book every single month to registered children from birth until age five – at no cost to the family and regardless of income.

“We’ve all worked together to make something really special happen here in Tennessee,” Dolly Parton said. “It’s still the only state where every single child has an opportunity to participate in the Imagination Library. The people who help with this program are really the ones who should get the honor. There’s a lot of great people out there working, and the Governor and I just want to thank them for helping to make this all possible.”

Any child in Tennessee under age five can be registered for the Imagination Library. A core mission of the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation is to enroll any and all eligible children in the program.

To learn more about the Imagination Library program in your county, or for information on how to register a child, visit www.GovernorsFoundation.org or call toll-free, 1-877-99-BOOKS.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under Books From Birth, Imagination Library, MCS, Phil Bredesen, Schools

Member Opinions:

By: prin on 9/17/09
I had the opportunity of visiting Bellwood today when the governor was there and reading to students. The Imagination Library seems to be a very good program and helps students. I encourage people to get involved in this great program either with volunteering or making a donation. I also compliment Amy Walker, Bellwood Pre School Supervisor, and her staff for a wonderful program and being host. It was GREAT !!!