Ripley Co. Retired Teachers to Host Special Story Time to Benefit Imagination Library

The event will be held in Versailles.

Photo provided.

(Versailles, Ind.) - The Ripley County Retired Teachers Association and Novel HeARTs are thrilled to invite children and their families to a special story time event aimed at fostering a love of reading and supporting early literacy in our community. Join us on Saturday, August 16, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, at Novel HeARTs, located at 133 Tyson Street, Versailles, IN.

Featuring Beloved Local Teachers

Beginning at 9:30 AM, and every hour thereafter until 12:30 PM, a beloved former teacher from Ripley County will share their favorite classic stories. This unique event offers a wonderful opportunity for children to connect with experienced educators and discover new literary adventures. Story times shall begin at 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, and 12:30 PM. To find the list of books that will be read and the name of the teacher who will read each hour, please visit https://novelhearts.com/.

“Every teacher knows the importance of reading aloud to youth – regardless of their age. Making stories and information come to life for the listener fosters a love for reading that leads to independent readers. Ripley County Retired Teachers welcome this opportunity to partner with the Ripley County Community Foundation and Novel HeARTs to raise funds for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which delivers books monthly to Ripley County children registered from birth to age five. Imagine every child in Ripley County with his/her own personal library of 60 books by the age of five. What a gift for developing the next generation of readers and thinkers!” stated Ellen Mulford, Ripley County Retired Teachers Association.

The Power of Literacy

Literacy plays a vital role in a child's development, opening doors to endless possibilities for learning and growth. Encouraging children to become self-learners from a young age empowers them with the skills to explore, question, and discover throughout their lives. Events like this help lay the foundation for a lifelong love of reading and independent learning.

Supporting the Ripley County Imagination Library

The purpose of this special story time is to raise funds for the Ripley County Imagination Library program, proudly sponsored by the Ripley County Community Foundation. The Imagination Library provides free, high-quality books to children from birth until age five, helping to build home libraries and foster a love of reading from an early age.

You are Invited to Attend and Contribute

The public is encouraged to attend and make donations to support this invaluable program. We are also grateful to Novel HeARTs, which has graciously committed to donating 10% of its sales on August 16th directly to the Imagination Library program.

“The team at Novel HeARTs believes reading is a fundamental life skill that should be nurtured from the earliest years. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library, sponsored by the Ripley County Community Foundation, makes that possible by providing books monthly to Ripley County children from birth to age five. We’re proud to support the Ripley County Retired Teachers Association in their efforts to raise funds for this invaluable program,” stated Cheryll Obendorf, Proprietor, Novel HeARTs.

Come join us for a morning of captivating stories and help us champion literacy for all children in Ripley County.