Seeds planted bloom into successful summer of reading
Etienne’s comedy juggling entertained families at the Middleboro Public Library this summer. Submitted photos
Fairy houses were created by youngsters during summer programming.
Etienne’s comedy juggling entertained families at the Middleboro Public Library this summer. Submitted photos
Fairy houses were created by youngsters during summer programming.
MIDDLEBORO -- Youngsters logged more than half a million minutes reading through Plant a Seed, Middleboro Library’s summer reading program.
Nearly 400 children and teens logged 541,250 minutes of reading.
The library congratulated the readers for sharing their love of reading during the summer program.
In addition to logging reading time, children and teens completed a record-breaking 4,006 activities related to growing things, food, exercise, reading, and summer fun.
Everyone who signed up was given seeds to plant, donated by Soule Homestead.
Thanks to their dedication, time, and effort, participants exceeded the Read to Feed community reading goal of 540,000 minutes and raised $500 to help fund farm shares through Elliot Farm’s Nourish Our Neighbors program.
Nourish Our Neighbors provides local families with free farm shares and delivers fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, and baked goods directly from local farms to those in need.
The Rotary Club of Middleboro/Lakeville sponsored the reading challenge.
Summer events included weekly Stories in the Garden, Fairy or Garden Gnome House Workshop, Teen Farm to Table Lunch, Buttonwood’s Zoo to You, Tree of Life Pendant Workshop, and Etienne’s comedy juggling.
These events and others were sponsored by the Peirce Trust.
A number of volunteers shared their time and expertise in facilitating programs and assisting with program planning and preparation, including Nancy and Ricky Stewart, Melissa Miller, Gina Smith, Jennifer Tinkham, Sebastian Glaspey, Jack Guilfoy, and Bly and Zack Medeiros.
Plant a Seed, Read is sponsored by the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, iRead, and supported by the Peirce Trust, the Rotary Club of Middleboro/Lakeville, the Board of Library Trustees, the Middleboro Public Schools, the Middleboro Parks Department, the Western Massachusetts Library Advocates.
Also, Benson’s Pond Cranberries and Barn, Lolans Farm, Soule Homestead, Tom and Jimmy’s Ice Cream, Spillane’s Nursery, Williams Trading Post, Elliot Farm, Joyful Scoops, Wendy’s of Plymouth, Starland Sportsplex & Fun Park of Hanover, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and A Case for Color.
Summer has ended but the chance to improve reading skills has not.
The fall reading program begins Oct. 1. More details will be available at the library website at midlib.org or by visiting the children’s room.
