When Ashley from the Hout Bay Partnership happened upon an ASPCA article on children’s reading programs in animal shelters she immediately thought of Olu’s Dream Cocoa Clubs based at Oranjekloof Moravian primary school and DARG.
The lead literacy teacher at Olu’s Dream, Chloe De La Harpe, is an avid dog lover with her very own DARG adoptee and no sooner had Ashley sent her the link to the article she had arranged to have a few of her Cocoa Reading Club members spend their Friday afternoon reading with the dogs and cats at DARG.
Any opportunity to see children excited about reading is a great one, particularly when it also connects children to the organizations in their community and teaches them to sit and enjoy time with animals.
The Cocoa Club is named such because the kids normally snuggle up with a book and cup of hot chocolate during their book club meetings, now they can cuddle up to a furry friend.
DARG was very gracious to allow the children to bring their stacks of books and read their stories aloud in between being smothered in puppy kisses. The group also explored the cat garden and read to any feline willing to listen.
The kids enjoyed spending time with the animals and Chulumanco and Siya even snuggled up with two pups and read “bed time story” after “bed time story” until the dogs were sound asleep.
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This was a special afternoon for the kids who took part and the Cocoa Club members are excited to have a new Friday afternoon reading outing!
To learn more about Olu’s Dream and their literacy work click here.
To learn more about the community work happening in Hout Bay check out www.houtbaygoodnews.org
