Recap of Recaps: June 17–June 25

Submitted by Joanie Goforth

Check out these recaps from a variety of programs that took place systemwide between June 17–June 25.

Oregon Trail Adventure - A STEAM Adventure for grades 3–5 at Cumming Library

“We traveled the Oregon Trail and faced its perils today at the library via stations that followed the trail, but could be completed in any order. Activities included: prioritizing what to pack in the wagon that would fit inside, hunting and gathering (a beanbag toss station), bartering with others for ‘supplies’ represented by shapes, a timed wagon ‘repair’ station using blocks and fabric, a station using play-doh as actual medicinal ingredients rolled into ‘pills’ to cure dysentery (this included measuring out dry ingredients to take home and complete), and a raft-building experiment using popsicle sticks, string and masking tape tested on the water by adding pebbles for weight. Each station was accompanied by a plaque with fun historical facts about each landmark around the trail. The activities were a huge hit and everyone had a blast. One VolunTEEN memorized the fun facts about her historical location and presented them to everyone who arrived! All attendees got an exclusive Oregon Trail button for their lanyards, which prompted some to sign up for Summer Reading Fun.’” –hosted by Kaity Bowers and Alexa Martin

Oregon Trail Adventure attendees built rafts to test on the water

Oregon Trail raft builder tests the integrity of her watercraft

Bookmobile Visit to Pine Ridge Manufactured Housing Community

“On Tuesday the Outreach team had the opportunity to offer bookmobile services and a bilingual storytime and puppet show at Pine Ridge, a manufactured housing community located off Atlanta Highway near Brandywine Elementary. The bookmobile has visited this community for four years so we consider the patrons at Pine Ridge our library family. Kandy and Christine engaged the crowd with two bilingual stories and the puppet show ‘Conejito.’  Kandy also taught the children a ‘ronda’, which is a popular game in Latin America where children hold hands and form a circle to dance and sing while everyone moves in the same direction, spinning the circle. For some of the kids this was their first library storytime ever, and they enjoyed it very much.” –contributed by Lorraine Lane

Families enjoyed a special bilingual storytime and puppet show
at Pine Ridge Manufactured Housing Community

Survival Skills with Mark Warren at Hampton Park Library

"We had a fabulous turnout for Mr. Warren, who gave detailed descriptions of the supplies to look for in the forest to build a warm, dry shelter in the woods. His slides showed what types of branches to look for and how to set them up into an A-frame structure, and how to use certain types of packed leaves as insulation. He gave details on how to start and maintain a fire using found materials for warmth and cooking. His true love of the outdoors really shone through his talk! He described a campfire as "the first movie screen" which makes sense when people sit around watching the dancing flames, listening to the crackling logs. He noted that besides giving warmth and enabling cooking, a campfire can boost morale. The group paid rapt attention and agreed with his efforts to keep the knowledge of our local trees, plants, and animals alive and flourishing. His wife/assistant, Susan, was delightful to work with and they generously donated a collection of stories called ‘Librarians of the West’ to the library.” –hosted by Amy Whitten

Tommy Johns Presents Finders Keepers! at Post Road Library

“Tommy Johns took us on an adventure through his own reading list, with magic and puppets helping along the way. He had a book recommendation before every illusion, and even a couple of tricks with ‘magic’ books! Tommy spent that time chatting with the kids about what they like to read. His show was funny, the sleight of hand was impressive and he was a pleasure to host.” –hosted by Sara Baggett Preston

Patrons had a blast during the hilarious and interactive
Tommy Johns Presents Finders Keepers!

Trails and Tales at Sharon Forks Library

"Today we began with an inspiring story of ‘Grandma Gatewood’ who was the first woman to hike the entire stretch of the Appalachian trail all alone after reaching the age of sixty. We read excerpts from the book Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail by Jennifer Thermes. We  talked about all the important things we might need while hiking, the importance of safety, the ‘leave no trace’ principles, along with compasses and maps.We offered activity stations including map activities for both younger and older ages, two compass activities teaching how to draw a compass rose and how to use an actual compass to identify where North is, and a Lego station where attendees could build a Lego map of the room. Kids used their imaginations to decorate sticks using beads, yarn, paper strips, and crepe paper rolls. A nature journaling station complete with sounds of chirping birds, pictures of nature, and a display with writing prompts was tucked in a quiet corner. Families went home with a starter safety kit (repurposed tic tac boxes with bandages) to which they could add their own additional supplies. The children enjoyed all the activities and a few caregivers told me how much they enjoyed the initial presentation.” –hosted by Anu Murari 

Trails and Tales offered lots for young patrons to make and experience