Skip to content

Bashaw captures provincial reading challenge

Over 70 per cent of residents read something for at least 15 minutes on Jan. 25
15324824_web1_160803-BAS-library-storytime_1
Reading was big for Bashaw on Jan. 25 as the community won the provincial Read for 15 Challenge. File photo

When the residents of Bashaw are issued a challenge, they step up time and again.

This time is was the ‘Read for 15’ challenge that was held on Jan. 25 and really promoted by the Bashaw Public Library’s Cindy Hunter. That led to 623 people completing the assigned task to read for 15 minutes during that day — representing just over 70 per cent of the community’s population.

Whether it was reading texts, recipes, books or really anything, the event was all about getting people into and excited to reading.

What that means for Bashaw is it was named the winner of the competition for communities under 1,000 and the most Readerly community in the entire province.

“I really love the way Bashaw can quietly jump into any challenge they’re asked to do,” said Hunter.

The library will soon received a crystal trophy for the triumph to a go along with a pair of recognition certificates.

Among the other participating communities, Red Deer had the greatest number of readers with nearly 18,000 — though that only represented about 18 per cent of the city’s population.

As well, only two other communities got over the 50 per cent mark — Bentley at 51 and Donalda at 64. Carstairs was the community named as most improved, garnering 30 per cent this time around after netting just three per cent last year.