Release: October 2, 2008

New parents at Columbia Center receive gift from educators

Society of educators promote literacy from birth

Mequon, Wis. – More than 200 families with babies born at Columbia Center will receive a gift intended to promote literacy from the Ozaukee County chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a society of educators.

The gifts, containing a blanket, a book and tips on reading to children, are made possible by grants from the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and Sigma State, the Wisconsin chapter of DKG. The gifts are part of a literacy project aimed at encouraging new parents to read to their infants.

“We are so pleased to provide these nice gifts to our patients and to help Delta Kappa Gamma promote literacy,” said Candy Casey, Columbia Center president and CEO.

“We hope that each gift will not only promote literacy, but will also enrich the parent, child relationship,” says Chi Chapter President Barb Janssen of Cedarburg.

“Parents are children’s first and most important teachers,” said Chi Chapter Research Chair Mary Jarr of Grafton. “We hope this gift will encourage them to enjoy reading with their baby.”

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Columbia Center is an intimate birthing hospital that supports women and their families through pregnancy, birth and beyond. An independent hospital, Columbia Center is located on the Columbia St. Mary’s Ozaukee campus in Mequon, Wis. and online at columbiacenter.org.