By Jan Pease
July 2016 has been a memorable month. First, thanks again and again to the
Watercade Board for the opportunity to be Grand Marshall in the Watercade
Parade. I’m still smiling from ear to
ear. My arm got tired from waving, but this experience was worth it. In my “few words” at the Queen Coronation I
told the true story of the boy at story hour who told his great aunt that he
didn’t think all this queen and princess stuff was real, but JAN knows that
they are the real thing. Love that boy.
He always calls me Jan and always gives it two syllables.
The fun of Watercade was followed by the “ ‘nado” that young children are still talking about. Please take a little time to reassure little
ones and let them talk about what they experienced. I asked the little boy who told me about the
“ ‘nado” if they went down in their basement.
His big brother said they went in Grandma’s basement and it was gross. I
just had to smile. Poor grandma was
sitting right there! I told them to remember
to look for the helpers and remember that they were safe. I’m so proud that people hurried to help
friends and neighbors as soon as the storm had passed.
Summer reading is going strong. 346 readers have signed up to
participate. We have a month to go, so
there is time to sign up your children and have them join the reading
game. Story times will continue until August
13. On that Saturday, Paul Spring will
give a family-friendly concert at 10 a.m. Beginner book club will meet on August
18; the book we’re reading is Because of
Winn Dixie. Brickheads, the Lego
building club, will be building every Thursday night without a break through
August.
Attendance at all of our programs has been steady most
weeks, and sometimes almost overwhelming.
We have enjoyed having 4-H staff involved with Fun with 4-H on four Wednesdays
in June and July. On the other Wednesdays we have alternated making projects in
“Maker Fun” and playing board games. Folks from St.
John’s Outdoor University come to provide a program called “Nature’s Olympics,” and a really nice group of kids enjoyed the
interactive, hands-on experience.
Mariah has done an outstanding job with Art Journaling,
an activity for students in grades 4-8. The students enjoy the activity, and I
would like to spy on their journals. It’s
a little different than the usual book
club, but it might be the start of a hobby that will last a life time.
Story times will begin again on September 7 with Toddler
Time. September 8 we will have
Brickheads. September 9th is
Story Time with a project, and September 10th we will have a visit from the
therapy dogs, our “Going to the Dogs Story Time”. We will have a short story time and then boys
and girls who are able to read can sit with a friendly dog and practice
reading. The rest of us will just enjoy talking about the
dogs with their owners. Or just enjoy talking to the dogs. See you at the library!
