Members of the Kewaunee Association for Home and Community Education (HCE) are helping to promote a lifelong love of reading for local children.

Kewaunee County HCE members play an important role in the Wisconsin Bookworms program, which provides free books to children from limited-income families who may not otherwise be able to own books. HCE volunteers  read to preschool children and supply activities the family can participate in at home that relates to the books their child is receiving.

In 2015-2016, the Kewaunee HCE group raised $1,200 to cover the cost of 50 sets of books for local children. The Wisconsin Bookworms program is a partnership among HCE, UW-Extension Family Living Programs and Wisconsin Public Television.

HCE volunteer readers have contributed thousands of hours reading to children, prepare literacy-building activities, coordinating and distributing books, and assisting at Wisconsin Bookworms programs.

During this school year 13 WAHCE volunteers from Kewaunee County read books to 44 children.

Currently, Wisconsin Bookworms reaches more than 5,000 children in 40 counties. This  May Wisconsin Bookworms celebrates reading  the 750,000th book to a child in Wisconsin.

To learn more about the Wisconsin Bookworms program and the Wisconsin Association for Home and Community Education Inc., visit   http://www.wahceinc.org/bookwormsindex.html

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press Gazette: HCE group brings joy of reading to children