To the Editor:
The Elizabeth Taber Library wrapped up this summer’s program for children, “Fizz Boom Read!” with an End-of-the-Summer-Program Ice Cream Sundae Social.
Over the course of six weeks, many children 2-12 years old enjoyed story times, reading games, a bubble show, various crafts such as: beading-a-solar system, bike decorating for the parade, fairy house building, tie-dying T-shirts with sharpies, constructing mini-robot bugs and faux lava lamps along with drop-in activities. Attendance for the summer programs totaled 3227. It was especially exciting, with the help of donations from Eastern Bank and the Sippican Woman’s Club, to “Read for a Good Cause”. Each hour participants spent reading raised $1 to support the work of Heifer International. Our readers were able to purchase two goats, a llama, a trio of rabbits, a flock of chicks, honey bees and a hive for families living in third world countries.
I would like to thank all of the participants (and parents, grandparents, baby-sitters, and nannies!) involved in our program, along with our 21 junior volunteers: Taylor Read, Sydney DaSilva, Hannah Borges, Grace Russell, Alyssa Foraro, Gwen Miedema, Morgan Miedema, Daphne Poirier, Tasha Sudofsky, Emma Mastovsky, Owen Patnaude, Alexa McLeod, Natalya Rivera, Rachel Pina, Emma Williamson, Max Richins, Megan Clavell, Bridget Clavell, Prosser Friedman, Sam Harris, and Lauren Craig.
Special thanks go to Dot Brown and Jelmer Miedema for their expert assistance with the science activities, and to the Harris family for their cheerful, hardworking help with the Fairy Houses and the Ice Cream Sundae Social.
Many thanks go to Jessica Barrett, Sippican School’s Media Specialist. Jess and I worked together to create the school’s summer reading lists. Sippican Elementary School students visited our library in June to learn about the public library’s resources, the summer program and the books on the summer reading list.
Thanks to everyone on the staff: Molly Driscoll, Rachel Breen, Anthea Andrade and Colleen Packard, as they cheerfully helped out with the large groups of children and a seemingly endless flow of books.
Many thanks go to our enthusiastic Library Director, Libby O’Neill, who gave the program unfailing support and encouragement.
Several agencies and businesses in town lent their kind support to the library’s summer reading program. They include Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Sippican Woman’s Club, Sea Dips Ice Cream, and Uncle Jon’s Coffee.
Working with the children and their families in the community as well as my colleagues here at the library was a powerful reminder of the joy and excitement of sharing the love of reading. I hope everyone enjoyed the library’s summer program and the delights of summer reading as much as I did!
Rosemary Grey
Children’s Librarian, Elizabeth Taber Library
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