For the Rapids City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – United Way to host #GivingTuesday on Nov. 27. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving, celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, kicking off the charitable season.

With United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties you can get involved by making a $25 donation and sponsoring a child in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.  This program mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until the age of five every month.  The donation covers one year of free books for a child in south Wood County.

Imagination Library was implemented in south Wood County last year by United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties’ Women United.  This year, 553 children in south Wood County received books each month.  There are no income requirements for the children enrolled; they just need to be a resident in Wisconsin Rapids, Nekoosa, Port Edwards, Rudolph, or Vesper.

Children who begin the program first receive “The Little Engine That Could.” When the child turns five he/she gets a final book titled “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!”  Each book is selected with a special purpose, based on the age of the recipient.

Tari Jahns, United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties’ CEO, is also a founding member of Women United.  “We brought Imagination Library to south Wood County because we know how important it is for parents and guardians to read to their children, especially babies,” she said.  “80 percent of brain development in a child occurs by the age of three. By the age of one, a child may not be able to say many words, but can understand an average of 70 words.  Babies and toddlers are like a sponge so it’s crucial that we do our best to transform them into learners so they are ready for kindergarten.  One way to do this is to read to a child for 15 minutes every day!”

To make a donation to United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties’ Imagination Library, visit www.uwswac.org.