Kindergarten students from the Gill-Montague Regional School District were treated to the gift of literacy this week when the Greenfield Rotary Club paid them a visit. 

On this day Rotarians, Michael Johnson and Michelle Pike pulled up tiny little chairs in both kindergartens of the Gill Elementary School to read aloud four works from author Eric Carle.

Students sat with smiling faces as they listed to Carle’s, The Tiny Seed, Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Today is Monday.  After each book a round of silent, sign language applause erupted from the waving hands of the children.

When finished reading Johnson and Pike announced to each class that thanks to the Rotary Clubs Literacy Project each child would be able to choose one of the books they had heard to take home with them.  To this announcement one student exclaimed “I don’t have any of these books at home” and Principal Rita Detweiler, who had joined the class for the stories, said “How does that make you feel?”  And the boy answered with a grin “Happy.”

The Greenfield Rotary Club is part of a worldwide service organization that raises money, through fundraising, dues and donations for the purpose of bettering the community.  “Our money is spent principally towards kids, through scholarships and the literacy project” said Johnson.  “Kids enjoy it, schools enjoy it and we love it” he added.