Libary year-end summer reading bash a huge success

Posted August 1, 2018 at 8:55 am

by Brooke Wright ~ NEWS Intern

The Clinton County Public Library held its end of the summer reading program bash this past Friday, July 27, with good attendance and prize giveaways.

The bash was held at the library where kids could play on bouncy houses and have their names drawn for a prize while learning the importance of reading.

Michele Keeton, children’s librarian, said the bash went very smoothly and that a lot of preorganization goes into making the program and end of program bash successful.

Along with the bouncy houses and prize giveaways, the kids made ice cream sundaes after lunch was provided to them. Each child had their name put into a raffle once they signed in to the bash, according to Keeton. The children’s names were pulled out of the raffle during the bash where they would win prizes, such as t-shirts, back to school items, candy, water guns and several other things.

“Final prizes were given away this past Saturday,” Keeton said. “Some grand prizes were bicycles, pools, tents, slip ‘n’ slides, Bluetooth speakers and flash drives.”

The summer reading program participation was also met with good totals for 2018. The participation in June totaled around 1,375 books read by 55 children. Reading participation in July totaled around 455 books read by 91 children in preschool through fourth grade and 42 children read one book each in July from fifth through twelfth grade.

In June, 823 books were given away, and in July, 480 books were given away, totaling around 1,403 books. Bash attendance was 236 people, including the children and parents/guardians. Total attendance of the summer reading program was 1,667 in June and 1,063 in July, reaching 2,730 in total. Thirty-four businesses and individuals sponsored the program and the library received $1,390 in cash donations.

“We are very grateful for our sponsors and community members who donated to allow the kids to win prizes and learn the value of reading,” Keeton said. “We made sure to emphasize the theme of reading at the bash too.”