Packed Shelter House For ‘Read With Me’

Brock and Leah Baker enjoy some reading at the 'Read with Me' event at Edmundson Park Thursday morning

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Rotary Shelter at Edmundson Park was at near capacity as kids from all over came to hear KCCI’s Marcus MacIntosh read a story with them.

EMC Insurance and Butler-Brown Insurance were sponsors of the days events with popsicles provided by Blue Bunny. The 11:00 a.m. crowd was more than expected and they had to run to the store to grab more popsicles.

“Throughout the school year we [EMC Insurance] donate $500.00 to a school that has nominated themselves, and they sign up and send it in to Marcus. We [EMC Insurance] donate $500.00 to the schools library.” Tanya Wentzel said of EMC’s involvement with the reading program. Wentzel went on to explain that during the summer months when school is out, they purchase the books and let the kids, themselves, choose the one they want.

There were over 90 happy faces today as they got to pick the book they wanted to take home with them.

Brock Baker was one of the 90 or more youngsters on hand for the fun. Brock got himself a book on dinosaurs and he says the thing he likes about reading is that it “can make you smart”. Leah Baker had also gotten her choice of the books and was having fun reading as well. She says she enjoys reading because, “It gets you to different worlds.”

“During the summer we go to a lot of town squares, pools, city parks.” Marcus MacIntosh said of the different venues they visit when school is out for the summer.