Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch receives donation for new library books

Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch receives donation for new library books
on Jun 30, 2021

The Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch is a treatment and educational center for children and their families. They work frequently with kids who’ve dealt with trauma. The Kiwanis Club of Minot donated money to the ranch in hopes of adding modern books that can get kids excited about reading. “Reading materials that are definitely at your grade level because I know if I sat down and tried to read a surgeon’s book on the brain, it would be difficult and I wouldn’t enjoy it,” Marcia Bartok, Superintendent of Dakota Memorial School, said. “And relevant material, like if you’re a guy you don’t want to read Barbie books, you want something that’s neat for you, and then finally you need an assortment of books so you can pick and choose.” Books might be simple but Bartok said for kids at the ranch reading can sometimes be an escape from traumatic events in their lives. “But most often it becomes a healing strategy, a getaway, a way to be able to go somewhere else use your curiosity your imagination,” Bartok said. For some of the kids, this might be the first time they’ve ever owned a book — which is why the ranch needs to restock their supplies every year. “So when they discharge and they take books that they love we sort of secretly celebrate, so we are always needing to get our books repurchased the ones that they like and when kids suggest I want certain books if they are appropriate to be able to buy new ones,” Bartok said. Bartok said the Boys and Girls Ranch is always looking for donations or volunteers to help with the programs they offer to the children. They serve about 130 kids in three locations across the state. SOURCE - KXNEWS