By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp. — The annual Steps and Stories program has concluded for the summer with a shoe shopping trip for the students involved.
“This is a true community collaboration between the Brandon Township Public Library, Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance and the Ortonville Eastern Stars, who generously provided all of the snacks and drinks and fund the shoe shopping trip for the students to each purchase new shoes and socks for school from Oxford Meijer,” said Fran Hotchkiss, Brandon Township Public Library Outreach Liaison Librarian.
Steps and Stories brings in students from the Sashabaw Meadows and Clarkston Lakes communities for a weekly session of reading and learning, as well as exercising.
“The children and parents are so very appreciative of this,” said Hotchkiss. “Brandon High School National Honor Society students were a huge help each week setting up and cleaning up after the program and assisting the children with craft and reading activities.”
This year, the Brandon Fire Department also brought two vehicles for the students to explore, as well as taught them about fire safety.
“Thank you Julieanna Sherrod and Ryan Setzer for being so fabulous with the students,” she said. “And Eileen McClennen, or ‘Coach Ei’ to many, shared her time and talent with the children in some rousing outdoor games.”
All of the children in the program received free books from the Friends of the Brandon Township Public Library. They also received an activity workbook titled Be Brave that they used each week, purchased by BGYA.
“The children made new friends and learned some new skills,” said Hotchkiss. “Several parents said their children are more confident in their reading skills and are more outgoing since attending this eight week program.”
At the end of the program, the students got to shop for new shoes and socks for school, assisted by volunteers.
“Thank you again to everyone for their generosity this summer in making Steps and Stories so beneficial for the 25 children who attended each week,” she said. “The students’ big smiles and enthusiasm touches my heart. It is such a joy watching them have fun with the activities, making new friends and becoming better readers in a short period of time.”