The Cochrane Public Library launched a new summer program on Monday, June 27, 2022.  

Librarian, Jessie Pepin says, “It’s called Sharing Stories with Seniors and it is an intergenerational reading buddy program where we pair a senior volunteer from the community with one of our grade school students between the ages of eight and ten and they read a book all summer long.” 

The local program received a federal funding grant from the New Horizons for Seniors Program and MP for Banff-Airdrie, Blake Richards was at the library to share in the funding news. The funds will go to cover the cost of six borrowable tablets and books for each reading buddy pair.  

Richards says, “Things like this are just so wonderful, I know there’s already the program in the schools, but this is a way to continue that over the summer and for our seniors to be able to offer their wisdom and their experience to our kids and our youth in the community, what a great idea.” 

Pepin says, “We were responding to the need for seniors to feel more a part of the community and to give back and we also wanted to promote a program that would meet the needs of the kids and keep them reading over the summer to slow down the summer slump or prevent it.”  

Richards says, “That’s the great thing about programs like this is that everybody will get something out of it the seniors are going to get something out of that interaction with the kids and certainly the kids from the seniors. It’s a great opportunity for both generations to learn from something and gain something from each other so to me it’s a win win.” 

There were six senior volunteers on hand for the announcement on Monday.  

Pepin says they currently have a total of 12 senior volunteers, and they still have more room for volunteers and students to take part in the program. A pair, consisting of a senior and a student, will meet in person or virtually and read a book together over the course of the summer. The seniors will be provided with training in how to coach young readers through difficult passages as well as receive training in video conferencing.  

If you are interested in the Sharing Stories with Seniors program, you are invited to contact Jessie Pepin at 587-579-4015.