McKenzie Health System Celebrates National Reading Month
In the words of the beloved Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Recognizing the many benefits of reading, McKenzie Health System is celebrating National Reading Month and encouraging the love of reading in the community with a contest and book giveaways. Each March is designated as National Reading Month in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday with the goal of motivating Americans of all ages to read every day. In particular, each family healthcare clinic will offer a coloring or word search contest with prizes based on random drawings from all submissions at the end of March.
“Reading is not only beneficial for the mind, but it is also a lot of fun, so we are delighted to celebrate along with many Dr. Seuss fans across the nation,” said Debbie Ruggles, Director of Healthcare Practices at McKenzie Health System. “Mental health is incredibly important to overall wellness, and the beauty of a good book can go a long way towards keeping readers healthy, happy, and interested in the world around them. Reading can increase cognitive function, memory, vocabulary, and empathy while decreasing stress levels, according to studies.”
In addition to celebrating Reading Month, all McKenzie Health Service providers also participate in the year-round “Reach Out and Read,” a national program that leverages the power of parents as well as the influence of children’s healthcare providers to help prepare Sanilac County’s youngest children to succeed in school. Through the program, providers give away books to patients ages six months to five years and encourage families to read together.
Community members and patients can participate in the contest by picking up a word search or coloring sheet at any of the McKenzie family healthcare offices located in Croswell, Peck, Port Sanilac, and Sandusky, as well as the after-hours clinic in Sandusky. Forms are also available online at www.mckenziehealth.org/go/read.
