ST. CLOUD -- The holiday season is a time to spend with family, but for one local family it's a time to honor the loved one they lost.

Kelly Woods lost her sister Karlie in a car accident back in 2012, and wanted to use her sister's passion for reading to honor her memory.

"She was an avid reader when she was younger. She was a speech therapist and so we wanted to do something with that in honor of her," says Woods.

Woods and her family partnered with the Reach Out and Read Program and set up a fund to help give books to kids.

"The earlier a child is exposed to reading and words, the sooner the child starts to develop language," says Woods.

CentraCare Clinic's pediatric providers give kids ages 6 months to 5 years a book that includes a book mark about Karlie's story.

"So every book has a bookmark with her face on it and the back of the book is marked with her name and where you can donate to the cause," says Woods.

Woods says there is a lot of emotion when it comes to this program and as for what Kelly thinks her sister would say only three words come to mind.

"She'd be thrilled...she'd be thrilled," says Woods.

You can donate to Karlie's Fund for Reach Out & Read can be made by contacting CentraCare Health Foundation at 320-240-2810 or by visiting centracare.thankyou4caring.org/pages/karlies_fund.

 

Books for kids hold a bookmark about Karlie's story. (Photo: Alex Svejkovsky, WJON News).
Books for kids hold a bookmark about Karlie's story. (Photo: Alex Svejkovsky, WJON News).
loading...

More From AM 1240 WJON