BRIDGTON — What’s the best way to help kids who may need us the most? Hilary & Chuck Wilcoxen of Team Long Run shared some of their answers to that critical question at the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club meeting on Thursday, September 28.
Team Long Run develops and delivers programs that support a child’s progress by linking learning, early literacy, and active play. They work exclusively in communities with schools and families that are often facing long odds, partnering with some of the most dynamic agencies and philanthropies that share their commitment to helping these children rewrite their futures.
For years, the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club has focused on dictionary distribution to third graders as its primary Literacy Project. During the past year, our literacy work has expanded under the leadership of Rotarian Joanne Cohn who is also active with the Bridgton Public Library. Club members are installing Little Free Libraries in the towns of Bridgton, Denmark, Sweden, and Waterford.
And, this past spring and summer, the club began a literacy project with the local Head Start inspired by Team Long Run. Rotary and the Bridgton Congregational Church contributed books that the children could take home over the summer to keep up their interest in reading.
At the same time, 30 new books were provided to help establish a classroom library at Head Start. The plan is to also provide the children with their own copies of books that are read as part of their curriculum. Bridgton Books has given a discount on all the books.
Debbie McBride, Rotary’s partner with the Congregational Church, attended this week’s meeting along with friends of the Bridgton Library.
Rotarians want to thank Chuck & Hilary for the incredible work they are doing and for their partnership with Rotary! For more information about the organization, visit https://www.teamlongrun.org/.
For more information about Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club, check out its website https://lakeregionrotary.com or Facebook Page.
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