Young families in Kingsville will find a brighter, more welcoming children’s corner at the Essex County Library’s Kingsville Branch, thanks to a partnership with the Kingsville Southshore Rotary Club and the Essex County Library.
“We couldn’t be happier with the results. Anything we can do to make these spaces more inviting, and give them some local flair, is worth the effort,” said Adam Craig, Chief Librarian for Essex County Library.
“We can’t do the work we do without support from groups like this. We really appreciate Rotary stepping up for our community.”
A Nautical Space Built for Literacy
The new area features a nautical theme that reflects Kingsville’s lakeside character. Local artist Susan DuPont Baptista, owner of Wind Blown and Weather Studio Gallery Shop, donated some of her own paintings to complete the look.
A child-sized table, the lighthouse feature, wonderbooks, outdoor adventure kits with compasses, literacy kits, decodable readers that help children learn to read using phonics, and more resources to support homeschooling and early literacy are still on the way.
Grant Monroe, Manager of Public Services for Essex County Library shared, “Working with the Rotary Club has been an honour, and families are already complimenting the space. It’s going to be a highlight of this branch for years to come.”
Colleen Neumiller, Resource Assistant at the Kingsville Branch, helped shape the vision from the start. “The nautical idea came up in one of our planning meetings and we ran with it,” she said. “We chose resources that fit the theme and also met what the library knew our young readers needed.”
Rotary Support for Local Literacy
“It is fantastic to see our vision come to life,” said Heather LeBrun, Kingsville Southshore’s Club President. “One of Rotary’s core causes is Education and Literacy, and this grant from our district ties in perfectly.”
The club contributes up to 2,500 U.S. dollars from its own fundraising, with Rotary District 6400 matching that amount through its District Grant program, which supports local, short-term projects led by Rotary clubs in southwestern Ontario and southeastern Michigan.
“This is our second District Grant in as many years. Last year’s project supported the local food bank,” said Committee Chair Cyndy Sylvius.
“We’re very fortunate to have this library in our community, and now we have a special place just for our young people. These new tools will have a huge impact on literacy in our town.”
To learn more about Kingsville Southshore Rotary, visit us on our Facebook page.