By Nancy Bowman
The Child Care Choices Story Ladies do more than read books to young children.
They bring the story and the joy of reading to life.
This Story Lady program has been bringing books and much more to Miami Valley children for more than 20 years, thanks to funding from foundations including the Tipp City Foundation and other donors.
“The program started as a way to mentor our family child care providers to show them ways to include stories and literature activities into their daily routines with the children in their care,” said Renee Matsunami, co-director of Child Care Choices based in Tipp City.
“Since its start, the Story Lady Program has expanded to include 35 child care centers and preschools in Miami County, and 24 family child care programs in Miami, Clark, Shelby and Montgomery counties,” she said.
The donations and foundation grants pay for the visits along with books, enrichment materials, Story Lady wages and mileage.
Each visit includes a theme chosen by the Child Care Choices-Story Lady team. Each child receives a book to take home to read with a family member.
The current theme is Storybook STEAM in which books and activities link to science, technology, engineering, art and/or math.
“Our Story Lady team invests a lot of time, thought and professional knowledge into planning visits each quarter to ensure that books and activities are developmentally age-appropriate, educational, theme-based and fun!” Matsunami said.
The program this year has had four story ladies – Robin Bartley, Cindy Dillard, Sally Minnich and Sally Beam. Dillard is leaving the program at month’s end while Bartley has been involved since 2016 and Minnich and Beam during the past year.
Bartley and Minnich talked recently about their work with children and the Story Lady program.
Bartley, a former teacher in the Troy schools, said she had several teacher friends who had been story ladies and shadowed one at a center. When that teacher broke her foot a short time later, Bartley finished her spring center visits.
“I love kids, I love reading and I love teaching,” Bartley said, calling being a Story Lady, “The best retirement job ever. An hour with preschoolers is a delightful hour.”
Bartley visits 14 centers, usually seeing two classes in each. Those centers are in Piqua, Bradford, Covington, Troy, Tipp City and Vandalia.
Preparation for the visits is a key, she said.
“Once the books are decided on for each season, we come up with a project/craft and music, game or poetry to go with the books or theme. The ultimate goal is for kids to love books and reading. I always sign the books with a little message for the kids,” Bartley said. “Scheduling each center and getting the materials counted and any prep for the projects are part of it, too.”
During part of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bartley’s Story Lady sessions were via Zoom or a video of her providing the lesson. The return to in-person visits was exciting, she said.
Minnich started her role as a Story Lady this fall.
The retired director of the St. John’s Early Childhood Program, Minnich was familiar with the Story Lady visits, which she termed “wonderful.”
The role, she said, was the perfect opportunity for her due to her love of story time while working and missing the opportunity to engage with children after retirement and the end of volunteer opportunities at the Tipp City schools when the pandemic arrived.
The Story Lady visits each class three times a year in fall, winter and spring.
“Before each visit, I familiarize myself with both books, thinking about what questions I might ask the children as we read or what things I might ask them to find in the pictures. I prepare a container with the books, copies of songs or finger plays and all the materials I will need for the activities, always bringing a few extras just in case,” Minnich said of preparation. “We also usually have something for the teacher to use in her classroom and something to send home for the parents.”
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. You can make a difference with your dollars in our community by:
- Donating online here.
- Making your check payable to the Tipp City Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 626, Tipp City, OH 45371.
- Setting up a fund or legacy plan by contacting Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.
STAY CONNECTED
We’d love to stay in touch. Stay connected with the Tipp City Foundation by:
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
All marketing activities of the Foundation is 100% underwritten by generous sponsors. Please contact us at info@tippfoundation.org for information on how your business or organization can become our partner in philanthropy.
- Silver Sponsor – Thrivent Financial (Matt Buehrer)
- Bronze Sponsors – Dunaway Family Foundation; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Monroe Federal Savings and Loan; New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank; Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling; Unity National Bank
- Friend Sponsors – Captor Corp.; Edward Jones (Neil Nehring); Frings & Bayliff Funeral Home; Minster Bank; RSM US; Turnstone Financial; US Bank
- Media Sponsor – Tippecanoe Gazette
GOOD NEWS IS WORTH SHARING
Use the links below to share the TIPPing Point with friends and neighbors. Not a subscriber? Sign up here! If there is something you would like to see in future installments, please email news@tippfoundation.org. Your input is welcome and appreciated!