Tails and tunes at Whitefish Library
A girl reads to therapy dog, Ande, with Susie Gonaver assisting at the Whitefish Community Library last week. (Photo courtesy of the Whitefish Library)
The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (known as R.E.A.D.), visited Whitefish Library recently to demonstrate the power of partnering with a therapy animal to boost confidence and reading skills. Ande, Shelby and Kate are certified therapy dogs trained, along with their human team members, to help kids learn to read.
Ande’s team member Susie Gonaver explained that R.E.A.D. is an outreach of the nonprofit Intermountain Therapy Animals. R.E.A.D.’s mission is “to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered therapy teams as literacy mentors.” Dogs are assessed for suitability for the program and dogs and their human team members are trained together.
R.E.A.D.’s popularity at the library is unquestioned. Readers have kept the pups booked and busy each Tuesday this summer. Ande, Shelby and Kate are taking August off. They’ll return to the Library in September, ready to listen.
The library’s summer schedule shifts to music this week. The Instrument Petting Zoo from North Valley Music School returns for an encore on Thursday, July 28, at 10:30 a.m. Suitable for all ages, it’s a fun way to try a huge assortment of instruments. Deidre Corson of North Valley Music School provides an overview before the music begins.
The mission of Whitefish Community Library is to bring people, information and ideas together to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge and strengthen our community. For more information, call 406-862-9914, or visit us at whitefishlibrary.org.