(BUFFALO, NY- WKBW) — EPIC or Every Person Influences Children has been hosting a community literacy program throughout the summer with Storytimes throughout Buffalo.
On Saturday August 27th, a Storytime is being hosted at the Frank E. Merriweather Library to continue to teach children about diversity and provide something meaningful to families in the community.
“This is not a one time, “lets go down here so that we can say we are down here,” We want to build relationships in in all communities and with all families and open their eyes to things that they can do at home together and empower them to feel like not only can they can they read stories and do activities together, but they can come together and be a community and make a difference,” said EPIC’s Director of Development and Marketing Liz Vetrano.
The Storytime at the Merriweather is also having a returning reader, Mark Talley whose mother was killed during the Tops mass shooting in May, bring his advocacy to the foreground.
“It just grew into a very natural friendship and partnership because of the work that he's doing and trying to do with the legacy from his mother and really the work that we're doing to try to help families recognize that they're their child's first and best teacher,” said EPIC’s Director of Family Engagement Jaime Rackl.
For Talley, he is beyond proud of EPIC for expanding their literacy program into the Jefferson Avenue area and is honored to read for the children once again.
“I think it's going to be an emotional time and a learning experience, hopefully. Hopefully none of us start to cry about it, but I definitely really appreciated that EPIC would love to have it there in that community,” said Talley.
Talley says being young is the perfect age to teach kids about diversity and injustices that some may face.
"At that age they have a child-like innocence, so they don't understand the things that are happening in the world, things that they can prevented. They truly are that age, where they think everybody is the same. It's wonderful to have that. So it's a good time, if not the best time, to teach kids, that's not how things are in life.” said Talley.
The Storytime at the Merriweather will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 27th, with live music, Fat Bob’s steakhouse catering and readings from Talley and Buffalo poet Jillian Hanesworth.
The Storytimes are free and open to all.
