MOULTRIE — It is said that today we have fewer readers of books because it’s easier to play a video game or watch a video. Yet, there are individuals and organizations out there who promote reading and who uplift books, particularly to our youngsters.

Such an orgainization is Ferst Foundation whose cause is childhood Literacy. And Colquitt Countians are recepients off these efforts.

Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy announced recently that it has received a $4,000 matching gift from the Equity Group, Georgia Division, to help provide books to Colquitt County’s young children. A 5013C organization, Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy focuses on assisting Georgia communities in providing books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at no charge to registered children from birth to 5 years of age throughout the state. 

Colquitt County became a Ferst Foundation partner in July 2006, and the Equity Group has been a contributor since that time. The Equity Group operates a poultry processing plant in Camilla, Ga., and employs a number of Colquitt County residents. Because of the generosity of the Equity Group and other supporters, the Colquitt County Ferst Foundation has provided 24,878 free books to the local community’s children since 2006.

Children registered for the Ferst Foundation program receive a free book at their homes every month through the mail until their fifth birthday. Each child receives up to 60 free books for his/her own personal library if registered as soon as he/she is born. Some 1,514 Colquitt County children have received books since 2006 with 850 currently registered.

"In these challenging economic times, I am grateful to the Equity Group for making a gift to Colquitt County Ferst one of their charitable priorities. Their support has been fundamental to our starting and maintaining the program, which we feel can be a critical element for families in preparing young children for reading and learning success," said Fritzie Sheumaker, chairman of the Colquitt County Ferst Foundation Community Action Team. Sheumaker also emphasized that developing readers at a very young age is actually an economic issue since, “leading economists say that money put toward early-childhood programs offers great returns and may be the best form of economic development out there.”

You may contact Community Action Team Chairman Fritzie Sheumaker at 229-890-6236 or by e-mail at fsheumak@colquitt.k12.ga.us.

Other Community Action Team members are Denise Bell, Lee Bass, JoAnne Smith, Alice Slocumb, Lauren Howell, Dorothy McCranie, Judy Mobley, Liz Murphy, Kay Powell, Fritzie Sheumaker, Susie Strange, and Mary Beth Watson.