Plant a Seed, Read summer library program nourishes community
MIDDLEBORO -- Harvest a summer of fun at the Middleborough Public Library with summer reading programs for kids, teens, and adults running from June 20 to Aug. 20.
Participants will read, complete activities, earn prizes, and help feed local families during this year’s Plant A Seed, Read reading programs which focuses on nourishing the mind and body and exploring the connection between food, family, culture, and ecology.
The library is partnering with The Rotary Club of Middleboro/Lakeville to help reduce hunger for families and to support local farms by having kids and teens read for a cause. As the sponsor, the Rotary Club will donate up to $500 to Elliot Farm’s “Nourish Our Neighbors” program which provides free farm shares of fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy to local families experiencing food insecurity.
Every hour that youth read will help feed the community. Readers can help the library reach its community reading goal of 9,000 hours (540,000 minutes) between the children’s and teen’s programs to raise the full $500 towards funding a farm share.
All ages can register for a reading program at midlib.beanstack.org using the library’s online platform, Beanstack, or downloading the Beanstack Tracker app on a mobile device for convenience.
Once participants have registered, they can visit the library to receive a packet of seeds, courtesy of Soule Homestead.
Kids and teens can also pick out a free book to help them get reading. For those who prefer to track their time and activities offline, there will be paper sheets available to download or pick up.
In addition to helping feed families, readers can earn reading prizes and chances toward grand prize drawings.
The children’s program is offering five grand prizes, weekly ice cream drawings thanks to Tom and Jimmy’s and other incentives, including free books.
Teens also have a chance to win one of five grand prizes, including four gift card packs or two tickets to Sauchuk Farm. As they read, they’ll earn a Wendy’s nuggets coupon, free books, and chances in drawings for $20 Barnes & Noble gift cards, as well as other prizes.
For more details about the children’s and teen reading programs, visit the Kids and Teen pages of the Library’s website at midlib.org.
Go to calender.midlib.org for a full listing and to register for a program. Here are a few examples.
StoryWalk at Soule Homestead
Visit Soule Homestead at 46 Soule St. in Middleboro and read the book “Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move’’ by Joann Early Macken anytime during the summer reading program from June 20 through August 20.
Farm Tales
Join Ms. Amanda at three local farms this summer for a special storytime.
Registration is required for these due to limited space.
On Thursday, June 25 there will be a visit to Benson’s Pond Cranberries at 10:30 a.m. for kids ages 5 to 8.
On Tuesday, July 28 at 11 a.m. talk about seeds at Soule Homestead for kids ages 3 to 8.
Visit Lolans Dairy Farm Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 10:30 a.m. for kids ages 4 to 8.
Toe Jam Puppet Band will perform their annual concert at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 on the Town Hall lawn. In case of inclement weather, this program will be moved indoors to the ballroom.
Kids PJ Yoga will be offered by Melissa Oddi Morrison, of the Heart in Art, Tuesday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m. Kids are welcome to dress in pjs and bring their own yoga mat or use one of the library’s. No registration is required.
