The Marysville Rotary Club's Education Foundation has expanded the traditional reach of its literacy program by providing over 80 children's dictionaries to the Smokey Point division of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for immediate distribution to foster families in Marysville, Lakewood, Arlington and surrounding communities.

Each year, the Rotary Club of Marysville sponsors a local literacy project, providing a dictionary as a gift to each third grade student in Marysville public schools. This year the project was expanded to include some of the children who come into the community through the foster care program.

"We know that it is highly unlikely for these children to come with their own clothes or personal belongings, let alone books or anything to help them feel inspired about education," said Rotary spokesperson Mike Leighan. "It is our hope that these dictionaries will help the newly-formed families bridge language barriers, assist with homework and inspire a lifelong love for words, reading and learning."

Funding for the dictionary project is provided by the Marysville Rotary's Pumpkins for Literacy Event, held annually at the Smokey Point Plant Farm.

Promoting literacy worldwide is a goal of Rotary International, and local club members are doing their part to promote literacy within their own community through the dictionary project.

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