October 13, 2025: Last week, the Rotary Club of West Ottawa proudly donated $1,800 to Storybook Ottawa in support of students at Regina Alternative School. Through this initiative, each student selects a brand-new book to take home — their very own story to keep and treasure. This gift of reading helps foster literacy, confidence, and imagination for young learners who need it most.
Every child deserves the joy of opening a book that is truly their own — to see their name on the inside cover, to turn the pages at their own pace, to imagine worlds beyond their daily life. Thanks to a donation of $1,800 from the Rotary Club of West Ottawa, students at Regina Alternative School are experiencing that joy firsthand.
The funds support Storybook Ottawa, a volunteer-led initiative that brings books into the hands of children across the city. Rather than simply distributing donated titles, Storybook Ottawa invites students to choose a book that speaks to them — one that reflects their interests, identities, and dreams. That simple act of choice builds confidence, agency, and a lifelong love of reading.
For the students at Regina Alternative School, many of whom face barriers to learning, these books are more than stories: they are symbols of belonging and hope. By supporting Storybook Ottawa, RCWO continues its long-standing commitment to literacy and education, helping Ottawa youth write the next chapter of their own success.
Rotary Club of West Ottawa: People of Action, sharing the gift of reading.