Helping Children in Calgary Experience the Magic of Reading

By: Deanna McArthur

For the last three years, Sandstone Energy, a division of Utility Network and Partners Inc. (UTILITYnet), has been donating 100% of its net profits from the sale of electricity, natural gas, and Internet to the Calgary Public Library Foundation (CPLF).

If you look back to 2017, when Sandstone Energy first announced its partnership with the Foundation, one message stands out, encouraging people to dare to dream.

When the partnership was first announced, Madeline Low, founder of UTILITYnet said:

“I wanted to support the Calgary Public Library because it is an extremely important part of my life. I am a first-generation Chinese immigrant to Canada. When I was young and new to the country, I spent a lot of time reading books. Books gave me insight into what I could accomplish in Canada, and the stories told will open up a new world to people that they never knew existed before.

“UTILITYnet wouldn’t be here today if we didn’t dare to dream. Together, Nick and I dreamt of creating our own retail business, but at the time, it was impossible. Nothing was set up for small retailers like us to enter the market. We kept dreaming and envisioning what we could do if we somehow got over the hurdles in front of us. Now, we are celebrating 40 years in Alberta’s energy market.

“If you cannot dream, if you cannot visualize yourself in a specific situation, you will never get there. The library and its programs encourage people of all walks of life to dare to dream.”

In staying true to this message, Sandstone is proud to share that starting in December of 2020, its ongoing contribution to the Foundation each month will support My First Bookshelf, a new Library program in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

My First Bookshelf provides a new, age-appropriate book to a child every month from birth to age five. The books are theirs to keep forever and, for many children in the pilot program, these will be the first books that they will ever own.

When money is tight, books are often considered a luxury, and despite best efforts, some children don’t have access to the Calgary Public Library and its resources. Sometimes the Library is a long bus ride away, they might not have a home computer, or perhaps there is a language barrier. Today, access to early learning support is now even more challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access to books early in life develops a love of learning and prepares children for school. Data shows that the presence of even 20 books in the home can foster a love of reading in a child - when a child participates in My First Bookshelf, they will have received 60 books by their fifth birthday!

“The generous donation from Sandstone will provide the joy of book ownership to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity,” said Courtney McLaughlin, Special Projects Manager at the Library Foundation. “Sandstone's donation will give 100 high-quality books to children in our Calgary community in 2021. These children will get to experience the magic of reading thanks to this donation.”

Shop Local and Support the Calgary Public Library Foundation

Sandstone Energy offers competitive rates for electricity, natural gas, and Internet to residential, farm, and small business customers across the province. With 100% of the net income from the sale of these services going to support the CPLF, every new customer makes a difference!

“With this partnership, consumers can feel good about where they purchase their energy,” said Nick Clark, co-founder of UTILITYnet. “The COVID-19 pandemic has meant many in the province are facing challenging financial situations. Some Calgarians who may have wanted to support the library couldn’t this year, as their budget didn’t allow for it. This is a way for them to show their support without spending any extra money.”