Books in the Bruce has reached over 780 children through its literacy program since 2017.

“We’re overwhelmed with the support from our community and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization [NWMO]. Because of this continued support, Books in the Bruce is now a successful not-for-profit children’s literacy program, providing a positive impact on our community and families,” says Colleen Shute, founder and organizer for Books in the Bruce.

Ms. Shute moved to Huron-Kinloss from Victoria, B.C., three years ago with the goal to start a monthly literacy program. The idea came from a program Ms. Shute attended with her daughter Harmony at the local Civilian Personnel Advisory Center in Victoria. That program was called “Books for Breakfast,” and there, she found friendship and developed a love for reading.

Ms. Shute hoped to launch a similar program in Huron-Kinloss, and after hitting the fundraising trail in September 2016, she raised enough money to launch “Books in the Bruce.” The program began filling up quickly, and after two successful years, “We are excited to launch ‘Brunch With Books’ this fall to help more children cultivate a love for books, build friendships, and create memories through literacy and play. With registration filling up within a day every month, we are excited to have the ability to host more families this fall,” said Ms. Shute.

Jess Brown regularly attends with her daughter Riley. “Books in the Bruce is a fun, family-friendly place where our daughter can play with other children and fall in love with reading and books! It’s a great place to meet other families, and we are so lucky to have this program in our community. We love picking a new favourite book each month, and it is so great to enjoy reading as a family!”

Books in the Bruce runs from September to June on the third Thursday of every month at the Pine River United Church in Ripley, Ont. The NWMO has been a proud sponsor of Books in the Bruce since its inception.