Organization donates to local libraries
Eleven area libraries recently received donated compact disc players and a check to purchase books and other materials from the Fayette County Early Care and Education Committee (ECE). ECE is a group dedicated to assuring quality childcare and early education in Fayette County. It consists of members from Child Care Information Services, Head Start; Early Head Start; Fayette County Office of Human and Community Services; Communities in Schools; Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus; Connellsville Area School District; local day-care providers; businesses; and parents. ECE was founded in 2001 through a grant from the state Department of Public Welfare. Renewed funding from DPW along with donations and grants from other community sources allows the committee to continue its work.
Communities in Schools employee Sandy Baugh spearheaded the project. She explained that locally, April was “The Month of the Young Child,” and ECE members wanted to participate in special activities to benefit local children. According to information found on the Pennsylvania Child Care Association Web site, www.pacca.org/WOYC, The Week of the Young Child (WOYC) is a national event usually held the first week in April to celebrate our youngest children and the parents and teachers that care for them. Studies have shown that quality care and education for children through age 5 greatly improves their chances for success in life. Child-care programs and local community groups organized WOYC celebrations across the state.
“We decided to provide CD players, earphones and checks to purchase books and materials to local libraries for their children’s programs,” Baugh said.
The organization received a grant from 84 Lumber Co. to help fund the donations. Baugh noted $900 from that grant and other money obtained from community donations and state grants were used for the donations.
Jean Kennedy, librarian at Smithfield Public Library, said that the $100 check presented to her library will be used to purchase books for infants and toddlers for the “Never Too Early” program. She also noted any child can come in to the library and use the donated CD players.
A new listening center was created at the Uniontown Public Children’s Library with the donated items.
“We have books on tape and children’s CDs that any child can come in and listen to,” said Dianne McFeaters, children’s librarian. “We only had one CD player before that was only used during special programs,” she said. “But the children didn’t have access to it. Now they can use this one, and the kids are being careful with it.”
Libraries that benefited from the project included: Uniontown Public Library; German-Masontown Public Library; Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus Library; Republic Community Library; Dunbar Public Library; Smithfield Public Library; Frazier Community Library; Point Marion Public Library; Brownfield Community Library in Dawson; Brownsville Free Public Library; and Carnegie Free Library in Connellsville.