Colby Community Library wraps up successful summer reading program
The Colby Community Library (CCL) “Oceans of Possibilities” summer reading program finale was held Thursday, July 21. Vicky Calmes, director at the CCL, welcomed nearly 300 eager readers and family members to the amphitheater/gazebo area of the library. Staff, volunteers, and 64 businesses that helped make this year’s reading program possible were thanked.
Volunteers worked diligently to keep up with the demand for Take and Make craft bags for the summer. Each week, different projects were available for young crafters to take home and complete. Over 1600 bags were distributed during the summer program. Extremely popular were the coral reef kits sponsored by Revela Foods and the paper cup whale kits sponsored by HealthView Eye Care Centers.
Throughout the summer reading program, ten different special programs were held. Craftivity days allowed children and their families to come in to make different sea themed projects, with 372 people attending. The CCL also hosted entertainers including Dinosaur Dimensions, Tom Pease, The Magic of Isaiah, and Randy Peterson, all drawing in over 600 people in six performances.
Sea creature mural
Each participant received a blank paper plate in their registration bags to decorate like a sea creature. All 134 names of those completing a creature to decorate the Under the Sea Wall were put in a random drawing for 21 sea-themed prizes.
Pinata guessing game
Hanging in the library were three different sea animal pinatas, and the children were able to guess how many items were contained in them. Winners guessing closest, without going over, were invited to select the piñata of his or her choice. There were 541 pieces inside the pinatas. Delilah Perez was the nearest with a guess of 540 and selected the first prize, followed by Homer Smith and Elizabeth Bergs each guessing 536.
The Whale of a Good Time activity booklet required 30 activities to be completed at home and around the community. A prize bag and Pizza Hut coupon were given to 100 readers fulfi lling the booklet requirements.
Reading clubs
Signing up for the Reading Record Program were 306 youth ages 3-12. Those readers read more than a halfmillion pages: 576,818. All reading club readers meeting the 500 page reading folder goal were invited to shop for prizes in the Coral Reef of Prizes at the finale. This year, 209 readers reached a club level. There were 63 members in the Whale Club who read or listened to at least 4000 pages. The Shark Club, with a 3000-page level requirement, was comprised of 18 members. Forty members reached the Dolphin Club by logging 2000 pages. A thousand pages read placed 45 members in the Seahorse Club. The Starfish Club had 43 members reading at least 500 pages. If club members were present at the Finale, they shopped in the Reef that morning. Club readers who could not attend could stop in and select a prize at their convenience.
In addition, 36 teens registered for the “Under the Sea” program. Twenty- three readers ages 13-19 turned in 195 book reviews. Fourteen winners were drawn for prize packages of their choice.
Calmes commented, “The CCL’s summer reading program was back in full force. It was great to see so many young readers and their families attending events at the library again, picking up crafts, and checking out over 18,000 books! We hope they are on their way to becoming lifelong readers and learners.”
