The Haliburton and District Lions Club brings the Blue Spruce Award Reading Program to Stuart Baker and Cardiff Elementary Schools. This reading program is part of the Forest of Reading Program, which is organized by the Ontario Library Association and is Canada’s largest recreational reading program with participation by schools and children from kindergarten to grade 12. Ten books are chosen in each level and the Blue Spruce Award books are specifically designed for readers in kindergarten to grade 2.

​

Children vote to determine the winning book after they have read all the titles. Participation in the program encourages a love of reading; promotes the development of the skill of evaluating a picture book based on the story and the pictures; and provides high quality books which remain in the schools. The Haliburton Lions have purchased two sets of the nominated books for Stuart Baker and one set for Cardiff and, in addition have paid the program registration fee for both schools.

​

The Blue Spruce Award is a new addition to the Haliburton Lions Reading Action Program which strives to promote and enhance literacy learning by putting new books in the hands of children. The Lions are excited to work with our local schools and to add this component to our existing programs which includes new books for children at our Stories in the Park Fun Fair; the donation of books to Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents; books for our Childhood Cancer initiatives; gently used books for our Little Free Libraries in West Guilford and Abbey Gardens; books for the women’s shelter; and an annual donation to our Haliburton Public Library, Dysart Branch.  We are proud to be able to serve children and our community through our Reading Action Program.