Letter to the Editor:

The Elizabeth Taber Library wrapped up this summer’s program for children, “On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!” with an End-of-the-Summer-Program Ice Cream Sundae Social.

Over the course of six weeks many children ages two to 12 enjoyed storytimes, reading games, a magic show, as well as activities such as: a nature walk in Washburn Park with Elizabeth Leidhold, director of the Marion Natural History Museum; a yoga class and craft with Marsh Hartley of Studio One; gardening and creating a bee hotel with Diane Cook; fairy house building, along with various drop-in activities. Attendance for the summer programs totaled 2,628.

It was especially exciting 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 support families living in Malawi with the help of donations from Eastern Bank and the Sippican Woman’s Club.

I would like to thank all of the participants (and parents, grandparents, babysitters and nannies) involved in our program, along with our junior volunteers: Adam Borges, Emily Borges, Connie Friedman, Prosser Friedman, Emily Kilpatrick, Aurora Martin, Alexa McLeod, Jonathan Meyer, Ariana Miranda, Grace Russell, Malory Woods and Sarah Wyman.

Special thanks go to Elizabeth Leidhold for her fascinating nature walk, Marsha Hartley for her enthusiastic yoga class and craft workshop, Diane Cook for her expertise with the gardening and bee hotel activities and Dot Brown for her cheerful, hardworking help with special events.

Many thanks go to Jessica Barrett, the 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 go to everyone on the staff: Nicole Davignon, Danae Arone, Anthea Tripanier, Liz Russell, Teresa Mattson 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, Uncle Jon’s Coffee, The Bookstall, Kool Kone, Eden Landscape, Shaws, Staples, Target, Clay Buchholz of the Boston Red Sox and the Marion Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the MA Cultural Council, a state agency.

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