Continuing its interest in promoting child literacy, City Utilities today expressed gratitude to the local engineering firm of Jones Petrie Rafinski, Inc., which will assume the stocking and maintenance responsibilities of two Little Libraries located within Citizens Square. Since their installation two years ago, more than 5,000 books have passed through these Little Libraries and into the hands of children.
Based on the Rotary Club-sponsored concept of "Take a book, Return a book," the free-standing Little Free Libraries provide a way to share books freely throughout the community to promote literacy, and to enhance the quality of life for all children.
“We at Jones Petrie Rafinski (JPR) are pleased to have this opportunity to sponsor such a worthwhile and effective program. It is a tremendous thrill for us to know books are finding their way to young children who are interested in reading,” stated Denise Ensign of JPR.
Visitors to City Utilities – those paying their bills, setting up accounts or asking questions about their utility services – often have children in tow. The Little Library in the Customer Relations Department is easy to access and provides great and fun books for kids to read while they wait or to take along to read later.
The two Libraries inside Citizens Square were originally sponsored by three local firms more than two years ago. Blackburn Construction, BCS Management and the Secant Group collaborated with local artists to craft the unique community assets. “This program has been a tremendous success for our community and for City Utilities, and we are grateful that these local companies thought of us for this project. City Utilities supports education in our schools and anything we can do to encourage children to read will help them develop, improve their vocabulary and give them a vital tool they’ll use for life," said Kumar Menon, Director of City Utilities.
Two Little Libraries are part of the sponsorship at Citizens Square. The first Little Library is located within the Customer Relations area of City Utilities and features a Peanuts comic strip theme with Snoopy, Woodstock, the iconic red doghouse and a real fire hydrant repurposed as the base. The theme was the design and artistic work of local artist Scott Nitza who is the founder of Scott Nitza Illustration and Design.
The second Little Library is located in the Allen County Redevelopment Office on the first floor of Citizens Square. “The T.A.G. Art Company”, commonly referred to as “TAG Art” from New Haven, completed the outdoor theme design and decoration of this library.
In addition to the books provided by Jones Petrie Rafinski (JPR), City Utilities supplies activity books that teach students about water and its importance in our daily lives. City Utilities literature includes:
The Story of Drinking Water –ages 9 – 12
Catch a Ride on the Water Cycle –ages 4 – 9
Save the Water – ages 7 – 10
Jones Petrie Rafinski (JPR) is a professional services firm located in downtown Fort Wayne specializing in Surveying, Engineering, Planning, Architecture and Utility Management.
Incorporated in 1915, the Rotary Club of Fort Wayne is an organization of more than 140 business, professional, and community leaders who open doors through local, national, and international service projects, as well as international exchange programs. The Club is a member of the Rotary global network; made up of 1.2 million members.- Release Date: 02/06/17
