Summer Reading 2011 Kick-off Carnival

Children's Librarian Debbie Roe started working at the Windsor Public Library last year. She loves her job and loves getting kids to visit the library. So when it came time to initiate the 2011 Summer Reading program, she wanted to make an impression on the children and their parents. Her inspiration came from attending her first Shad Derby Festival this year.

Roe, with the help of Wilson Branch Manager Amy McCue and other library colleagues have created the Around the World Carnival to get things started, "The Kick-Off gets the kids really excited about coming to the library and taking some books home," says Roe.

The kick-off carnival on June 25 is a festival of games, activities, a bounce house, food and fun for families with children 12 and younger all free of charge on the Town Green and at the Wilson Branch Green. Roe wanted to make it exciting and when she asked a plethora of Windsor groups to assist they all said, "Yes!"

The Windsor Lions Club is grilling hot dogs; the Windsor Library Association has provided financial support; Windsor Girl Scouts are helping to staff the event; the Early Childhood Council in cooperation with the Family Resource Centers of Windsor is supplying prizes for the tinier tykes; Windsor Jr. Woman’s Club sponsored a bounce house; Windsor Woman’s Club is hosting a Walk Around the World activity; Spin Art, Giant Jenga and another game is presented by the Windsor Jaycees; Windsor Exchange Club is helping with food and prizes; Poquonock School PTO is supporting the Soccer Challenge; Wolcott School PTO and Clover Street School PTA are on site volunteers at the main library and at the Wilson Branch; Geissler's and  Price Chopper have provided gift cards, and Windsor Federal Savings is encouraging reading and saving by providing wooden banks to be decorated by the readers.

Roe has been talking to the elementary students to get the children amped up about reading for the summer. The kindergartners all came to the library to hear her pitch. By next Friday, Roe will have visited all the public and private elementary schools and provided the older children with a flyer to take home  - be sure to check the backpacks!

The flyer outlines all the elements of the Summer Reading 2011 program from Saturday Drop-In Whole World Craft events for grades 1-4 to cooking events for ages 5-8 (with parents). And there are movies for the whole family (4 years and older) and even Summer Music for Babies (up to 15 months.) There are also special events planned for each week starting with Puppeteer extraordinaire Jim Napolitano on June 29.

You can register your child on-line for the One World, Many Stories summer reading program at the library website. To register for the Around the World Carnival please call the library at 860-285-1914.

The Around the World Carnival is on June 25 from 10 a.m. until 12:30 pm, rain or shine. If you would like to volunteer contact Debbie Roe at roe@townofwindsorct.com.