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One thousandth bunny

6 Comments on One thousandth bunny

Bunny

This is my photo from today’s bunny event at the Emporia Public Library, but the always-magical Dave Leiker has created a very cool slide show.

Check out Dave’s photos of bunnies and the bunny makers and the babies

Both the first and the 1,000th baby were among attendees at the bunny reunion.

The story in brief: Eleanor Browning and Janice Romeiser started a Read to Your Bunny (R2YB) project two years ago. When a baby is born at Newman Regional Health, the baby and parents receive a small book, a hand-made bunny, a discount coupon for a children’s book at Town Crier, and an application for a library card. The parents are encouraged to read to their baby 20 minutes a day.

Last week, the 1,000th baby received the 1,000th bunny. So, at the regular, montly bunny-making event, a celebration was held.

Bunny m&m

Elebrown: Do you know why we have M&Ms today?

Me: No, why?

Ele: M = 1,000.

(Ele is awesome to the Mth degree.)

***

6 Comments

  1. Oh, Cheryl, you are clever and funny! Actually, I must confess that it was Fluffy who had to clue me in to that “M.” I was thinking M is “million,” –and then, oh, yes, L = 50, C = 100, M = 1,000. I still have a first grade mind….
    Thank you and thank Dave for coming and helping with our project! We did have a few more “babies” come after you left–one was eating one of Fluffy’s cookies and had chocolate on her face, on the bunny, and another –well, our very first baby–was trying to help clean her with a napkin. They were so cute! And, I love Dave’s slide show!
    Saturday when I went to Newmans, there was a new little baby, Isabel (!-I love old names) whose mother told me that her 21 month old had been visited by the R2YB project, well, 21 months ago, and that he loves to be read to and still likes reading his Read to Your Bunny book!

  2. This whole effort is such a great example of how a little imagination, leadership, effort and persistence can build a tradition that works on so many levels…for the new parents, for the baby and for the future. Congratulations to all involved, especially leader ele of the FOP community of friends.

  3. When Caleb was born, we received a bag containing a baby book (the kind you record memories and firsts in), a list of good children’s books, and a copy of the poem “The Reading Mother” by Strickland Gillilan. It was from the local teacher’s association. That poem has been in every baby shower card I’ve given since. Of course books are usually my gift of choice, too. You only need so many receiving blankets and everyone always buys the same stuff for babies. http://www.thereadingmother.net/

  4. This is such a neat posting, Cheryl. We are all so proud of “our” Ele and Janice. Congratulations and your ability to get the so many people involved is quite an achievement too.
    Dave the slide show is such a nice Tribute also.
    Doesn’t all of this just give you the “Warm Fuzzies”?

  6. Thank you, Jenni, for the readingmother site. That is a GREAT poem and I am delighted to hear that there are other literacy projects happening other places! This is a GOOD thing!!
    Dave, bless his heart, even put the bunny celebration and his fantastic slide show on the Emporia school district website! We’re so excited and happy! 🙂

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