To the editor:

The Elizabeth Taber Library wrapped up this summer’s program for children, “Camp Out at the Elizabeth Taber Library,” with an end of the summer ice cream sundae social.

Children age two to 12 enjoyed storytimes, crafts, reading games, story tellers, a magic show, a pirate show, a Teddy Bear sleeping bag craft and sleep-over, a make-your-own-first-aid-kit workshop, a beaded compass lanyard craft, a fairy house building workshop and drop-in activities over the course of six weeks. Attendance for the summer programs totalled 2,429.

It was especially exciting, with the help of donations from Marion Cultural Council, Eastern Bank, Sippican Woman’s Club and Lockheed Martin Sippican Inc., to “Read for a Good Cause.”

Each hour participants spent reading equaled $1 to support the work of Heifer International.  Our readers were able to purchase a heifer, a trio of rabbits, a flock of chickens, and a flock of ducks to nourish and help needy families become self sufficient in Uganda.

I would like to thank all of the participants (and parents, grandparents, baby-sitters, and nannies!) involved in our program, along with our 18 junior volunteers:  Alex Friedman, Aryana Hartley, Gwen Miedema, Lucas Costa, Meghan Berg, Kate Marsden, Fiona Lonergan, Lily Pearl Poirier, Alexa McLeod, Sam Dunn, Drew Hiller, Aiden Woods, Noah Maxwell, Jackson St. Don, Selena Carvalho, Janey Rego, Sofia Sudofsky and Kati Sethares.  Many thanks go to our ever enthusiastic Library Director, Judith Kleven, and staff members Donna Ohlman, Peg Riley, Madelaine Smith, Anthea Andrade and Colleen Packard as well as Elizabeth Leidhold, Director of the Marion Natural History Museum and also Kathy Downey, RN, MSN, Town Nurse of Marion.

Several agencies and businesses in town lent their kind support to the library’s summer reading program.  They include the Marion Cultural Council, Sippican Woman’s Club, Lockheed Martin Sippican Inc., Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Sea Dips Ice Cream, Uncle Jon’s Coffee and Rose andVickie’s Pizza.

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