The seasons are changing in Western MA and I love it - the sun is shining, the last of the snow has melted and my favorite event of the year is just around the corner - LTL Spring Event 2014 at the Delaney House in Holyoke on April 30, 2014. For the past few years, these major fundraising events have recharged my batteries, professionally sparked excitement and renewed my enthusiasm for the work we all do.

On behalf of the LTL Board of Directors and volunteers, I would like to invite you to attend and participate in this event. In our community nonprofits rely on a devoted legion of adult volunteers to help ensure the organization remains structured and runs smoothly. I am grateful to have strong and supportive relationships with the volunteers who help keep this organization running as efficiently as it does. Without their help this wonderful event could not take place...but it will!

As an organization, we exist to serve every boy and girl who wants to read and we've worked hard to create an environment where children get to enjoy the experience. To make that mission a reality, we need your constant and consistent help. Please remember to be supportive. Support the many volunteers who give so much of their time dedicated to the children. If you are interested in proposing a project that can put our volunteers and funds to work, we'd love to hear from you. It is my fundamental belief that each one of us needs to get involved and make a difference.

Lastly, it is with sadness that I inform you I will no longer have Janet Crimmins working beside me each day leading the way with Link to Libraries. Janet has been a most active Co-founder and Board member these past six years. She will remain on the Board and forever in my heart as a devoted and wonderful Co-founder. Janet and her husband, Tim, have new trails to follow and with that we wish them all the very best.

Sincerely,

Susan Jaye-Kaplan

Link to Libraries President & Co-founder 

The Business Book Link program has welcomed several new sponsors over the last few months! Many thanks to Consolidated Health Plan, who sponsored Indian Orchard Elementary School, Easthampton Savings Bank, who sponsored Center-Pepin Elementary School, and Rick's Auto Body who sponsored Baystate Academy Charter Public School.

Through the continued generosity of local business sponsors, underserved students throughout the Pioneer Valley endured the long winter with new books to enjoy and new hats, mittens and socks to help them stay warm. The students truly appreciated the care and attention they received from their program sponsors. Recently, students from White Street School along with their principal, Ms. Kristen Hughes, expressed their thanks with a special video made for sponsors, Drs. Jonna Gaberman and Bruce Wintman.

There are still many more schools and students that need assistance. If you would like to sponsor a school or know of a business that might be interested, please contact us.  

With the 2013-2014 Welcome to Kindergarten Literacy Book Bag distribution complete, work on the 2014-2015 school year is in full swing. A variety of civic and business organization volunteers have been busy at the warehouse filling book bags with two books, one English and one Bilingual, as well as informational materials for parents about the value of reading. After each box of 40 book bags is labeled by district and school, the boxes are stacked for pick-up. And if the responses from this year 's Welcome to Kindergarten Literacy Survey are any indication, the success of the program is well worth the effort of all the volunteers and monetary donors, as well as the grants that make the program possible.

"Keep the books coming! Thank you," "The kindergarten students enjoyed them and continue to read them over and over," "They were able to make real world connections, book to self," "Beautiful books we are talking about in school," "Students excited to have books and a bag to take home," are just a few of the many positive comments received from teachers and administrators from Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee, schools served by the program. 

So as preparations are made, books are bagged, and boxes are packed for the next school year's Welcome to Kindergarten Literacy Book Bag Program, it is with the knowledge a new group of young children will soon be welcomed to the wonderful world of reading.

The Tuesdays for Tots Read Aloud program continues to attract toddlers, parents, grandparents and caregivers from Springfield and the surrounding area. The children are AWESOME listeners. Eastfield Mall now offers arts and crafts sessions after most of our read alouds. We enjoy seeing some of the younger siblings, who were babies in the fall, become old enough to begin listening to the reader. Thanks go out to our winter readers - Phyllis Walsh, Carol Tivoli, and Dave Porter! If you are interested in becoming a reader, please email Gayle Rediker.  

Link to Libraries student volunteers held a Children's Movie Night fundraiser on Friday, April 4 at Minnechaug High School from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Student volunteers, Bobby Tremblay, Ellie and Grace Trudeau, and Molly Finnegan planned the event. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs II was the featured film. Suggested admission was a donation of a new soft cover children's book for link to Libraries.

A Link to Kids, Families and Growth

For me, Link to Libraries represents a link to kids, families and growth.

My two children have been youth volunteers for LTL for the past couple of years. In fact, my son was so eager to help he was allowed to participate a little earlier than the standard starting age. As youth volunteers, they get a chance to help other children and families in a meaningful way that is familiar to them. They quickly understand the books that touch their hands will fall into the hands of other children to enjoy. They understand that as volunteers, they make a difference. They understand other children can dream and imagine through books.

My children have also found some good friends as part of the volunteer family at LTL. The family atmosphere provides them with a chance to work with other kids in a comfortable and respectful way as they all share the same tasks and goals with youthful pride and enthusiasm. They look forward to spending time helping other children and feel good about their efforts every time.

Ultimately, our connection with LTL is about growth. It is about growth for me and my children and growth for the many children whose lives are touched and whose imaginations are sparked through books. Books provide a magical connection by  capturing the attention of children and families from all cultural backgrounds.

We are grateful to everyone at LTL for providing my family with this opportunity to enrich our lives and those of so many in our community.

Claire D'Amour-Daley

Vice President of Corporate Communications

Big Y World Class Markets

Link to Libraries Volunteer

Dana Barrows - Mittineague School, West Springfield

Kelly Beaulieu - Coburn School, West Springfield

Erica Broman and Holyoke Community College - Morgan School, Holyoke

George Burtch - McMahon School, Holyoke

Mary Daboul - Bowie School, Chicopee

Roberta Hillenberg-Gang - Brightwood School and Square One, Springfield

Michael Hirshberg - Selsar School, Chicopee

Kathy Kessler - Square One, Springfield

Susan Landry - Kelly School, Holyoke

Meyers Bros. Kalicka - Sullivan School, Holyoke

George O'Brien and BusinessWest Magazine - Rebecca Johnson School and DeBerry School, Springfield

Malcolm Schneider - Dorman School, Springfield

Bill Trudeau and Insurance Center of New England - Martin Luther King Charter School of Excellence, Springfield

Karen Fortin - Woods, Discovery School, Greenfield

Susan Landry, Casey and Abby Simon-Plumb, Susanne Simon, The Robitaille Family, The Trudeau Family, The Tremblay Family, Roberta Hillenberg-Gang, Sally Schneider, Gail Baquis, Kathleen Plante, Kieran Summers, The Grodsky Family, The Perry Family, Jack Nystrom, Alec Robinson, The Kessler Family, Kathy Kessler, The Fitzgerald Family, The Finnegan Family, The D'Amour Daley Family, The Crimmins Family, The Cornwell Family, The Weiner Family, The Rediker and Anderlonis Family, Amanda Biron, Phyliss Walsh, Carol Fox and Margot Woodworth.