Located at 201 South Third Street, Fairbury’s headquarters for acquiring literary empowerment, the Dominy Memorial Library, has a June calendar that is loaded with opportunities to learn about crafts and gardening, to be entertained (especially those little bundles of energy and enthusiasm known affectionately as “our kids”) and to have access to a Reading Program that is specifically designed to give everyone participating a “summer tune-up” in reading and comprehension skills. The summer school vacation can become a numbing experience for our literary capacities if its left unattended for the duration and this program provides an enjoyable way to circumvent that risk.
The Reading Program is labeled with the handle, “Paws to Read”. which has a canine theme to it while phonetically delivering the intended influence. This program is open for registration starting on June 9th and extending through June 21st and anyone with a library card from the ages of 3 to adult are eligible, and encouraged, to participate. An itinerary will be available that will provide the parameters for the program as well as a schedule for special events that are tied into the format and designed to enhance your enjoyment with demonstrations, movies, and entertainment. In addition to the book reading, which is the main thrust of the program, there will be the following events for your information and enjoyment:
Tuesday, June 10th – there will be an inflatable park set up on the Library grounds in alliance with the Dave’s Supermarket (right across the street) annual “Pig-Out” customer appreciation day. This arrangement will include a “bouncy house”, an air cushioned slide, and another inflated wonder to be named later. A good place to take the kids – they can have a lot of fun, you can get your groceries and enjoy the good food and music that the Dave’s group will have available – talk about one stop shopping.
Wednesday, June 18th, 1:30pm – the Library will show the movie, “The Gold Retrievers”, followed by a “how to” craft project involving the crafting of a puppy likeness and all of the supplies you’ll need to do this with will be on hand.
Wednesday, June 25th, 10:00am – Jackie Gerber from Fairbury’s “Country Clips” pet salon will be giving a demonstration on dog grooming so any of you folks with “shaggy dogs” who want to know how to neaten things up in a professional way should go see how experience does the snip snip here and the clip clip there.
Monday, June 30th, 2:00pm – Here we go, Magician Richard Landry and his mystically animated white rabbit Snowball have been sponsored by the Eastside Veterinary Clinic to do a show at the Library that is going to knock your socks off and help to put your reading hats on. It’s the fun way to be inspired to do what the “Paws to Read” program is designed to help you do.
The requirements for this stimulating seven week program are:
For the preschoolers – 15 minutes a day in reading mode
1st grade to 3rd grade – 30 minutes a day
4th grade to 6th grade – read eight books over the course of the program
7th grade to 8th grade – read nine books over the course of the program
9th grade to 12th grade – read ten books over the course of the program
For us beleaguered adults – we only have to read seven books because we’re busier (and not as fast as the kids)
Those are minimum requirements – the more the better but, not at the sake of allowance endangerment – get those chores done!
The theme of the program, as noted in its name, is canine, but, the participants can choose any library book they want – so, get into the land of “far away” and walk along the magical and exciting trail that books open the gate to – Mark Twain, Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and John Grisham will do everything from making you smile and laugh to scaring you silly or, you can accompany Disney and Dr. Suess into that other world of wonder and dreams. Of course, there is a lot to be said for the Bill Gates’ of this reading empire as well and the reality of actually learning something from the reading effort should be a welcome part of your strategy.
Oh, and you should also be aware that there is a sort of “surprise” laying in the weeds for each week of the program – we’d tell you what it is but then it wouldn’t be a surprise would it? So, you’ll just have to endure the anticipation and wait for it – it’s all good though.
Additionally in the early stages of June, June 9th, there is a “Fairy Garden” class at 7:00 in the evening and some folks out of Bloomington are going to show those there how to make a miniature garden complete with little houses, picket fences and a type of plant that is called “succulent” which means they don’t need a lot of daily care. If you can picture say, something set up in an old wheel barrow that brings to life the visual concept of a house, yard and flower garden in miniature form then you’ve got what this is about – pretty cool, huh. Unfortunately, if you’re not already signed up for it the class is full but – I’m guessing there will be a “next year” so you’ve been alerted.
Obviously, there is more to come for July as the seven weeks of keeping the mental carbon out of the pipes continues on its way and we’ll be telling you about those events in the very near future so, stay tuned, stay healthy, and go learn something besides how to eat and play video games. See you on the other side of sundown where only the mind can see – how about you, got a ticket to ride?