June 3, 2010
Issaquah Cub Scouts collect books for families of Neonatal Intensive Care babies
Cub Scouts from Issaquah, Wash. collected books from their families, friends, and booksellers for the University of Washington Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit. Their collection included books for all ages, from babies and school-age children to parents and grandparent.
The first-grade boys were Tiger Cubs from Pack 679, Den 2. The Cub Scouts delivered the books to the unit last week. The books will be available on the unit’s bookshelves for families to select their favorite.
Carri Gest, a nurse on the unit, helped her son’s group with the book drive. Many of the books were especially chosen for the brothers and sisters of the babies on the unit. As one of the Cub Scouts observed, “Being in the hospital is really boring.”
Lori Chudnofsky, nurse manager of the unit, said that her staff encourages parents to read to their babies. Held in their parent’s arms, the babies learn to associate reading with comfort and attention. Reading also fosters their enjoyrment of words, language and pictures, even before they can talk.
When asked why they like to do projects to help people in the community, one Scout replied, “It makes me feel very, very, very good.”
