SPECIAL 2003 SUMMER READING PROGRAM EDITION

 

      Volume 5, Issue 10 www.westminster-ma.org/library June 2003

 

 

 

is the theme of this summer’s reading program. We are planning a bounty of reading, a profusion of thinking and plenty of creating! This year we are fortunate to have many local and notable talents to help us read, think and create. Be sure to read about them on the following pages.

 

We will be hosting a Harry Potter Evening on June 20^th at 10 PM, followed by Sign Up Day on June 23^rd. In order to make it easier to plan for your family, we will present the events in age appropriate order and all family events will be listed first. The enclosed summer calendar will list the exact times and dates. Registration for story times, workshops and all participatory programs is required. Performances do not required pre-registration.

                   

 

                                               

 

                         Family Events

 

Davis Bates and Roger Tincknell will entertain the entire family on July 7 with stories and songs. They were tremendous last year and not to be missed. We will host a Family Picnic on the front lawn at 6 PM followed by their performance at 7 PM.  On July 10^th, Sparky will be back with her puppets performing “The Kingdom of Riddles” at 7 PM. On August 6^th, Leeann and Alix Lamsa will be entertaining in the Eloranta Room. They will be performing classical pieces, show tunes and fiddle music on the violin and piano.

 

 

There will be Tea for Toddlers on June 25^th, Brunch for Babies on July 2^nd, and a Rainbow Picnic for 4 and 5 year olds on July 9^th.  A Teddy Bear Picnic is scheduled for July 16^th, especially for 2 and 3 year olds. Don’t forget Sparky! Beginning on July 23^rd, there will be a series of four Wednesday Story Hours for preschoolers.

                          

 

     

 

Harry Potter Night and the “Magic for Muggles” programs are especially for youngsters of this age. Paula Magee will be offering Kid Fitness on June 24^th from 3 to 4 PM. We have also planned “Go Fly a Kite”, Bookmarks and Door Hangers and Craft Wall Hangings with Sue Marshall, Scrap Booking with Lisa Weissman on July 17^th, Stars! with Frank Despres on July 30th, Rubber Stamping on August 5^th with Tracy Coluatti and Hair Braiding with Angela Werner on August 13^th. Mary Dunn will show us “How to Make Paper on July 23^rd. Enjoy Origami with Haruo on July 29th as well, and join Laurie Ellsworth for Symbolic Art on July 1^st. Chess Club will continue to meet on Mondays at 3:30 throughout the summer. Newcomers are welcome to join. The summer will end with a Campfire Story Session with scary stories for older kids.

                      

   Teens and Adults, too!

 

We have not forgotten our “young adults, middle adults and older adults” this summer. Music with Leeann and Alix Lamsa will be held on August 6^th; Tracy Coluatti will be doing Rubber Stamping on the evening of August 7^th. Brian Beaudoin will be holding a Botanical Kaleidoscope Water Color Design Workshop on July 8^th, Origami on July 29^th is for everyone and Mary Dunn will be making Home Made Paper on July 23th. Ron Brough will share his Model Shipbuilding expertise with us on July 29^th at 7 PM. In addition, be sure to check out the Bird Mobiles with Amy Kukta on July 24^th, Decoupage Trinket Boxes on July 30th with Sue, and Symbolic Art with Laurie Ellsworth on July 1. Lisa Weissman will offer a Scrap Booking for Adults Program on July 22^nd at 6:30.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big night begins with a special program by magician extraordinaire, Greg McAdams. We will be raffling off a magic set as put together by Greg.

 

The evening would not be complete without refreshments, so we will have goodies to munch. With the able assistance of Sarah Lupinski and Jack Moore, we have come up with tasty treats to serve with a Harry Potter flare. After a short game of trivia, Mrs. Despres will read the first chapter of 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  At the stroke of midnight, we will pass out the much anticipate books!

 

The program will start at 10 PM sharp and space will be reserved for those who ordered books. Others will be allowed in as space permits.

 

 

 

 

 

We are very fortunate to have so much talent available to us this summer. Our “artists in residence” come from all walks of life, from various backgrounds and with a variety of talents to keep us all entertained, informed and creative this summer. These people are your neighbors, your friends; people you have met, or people you will be pleased to meet.

 

The following folks will be helping us this summer to read, think and create:

 

Davis Bates and Roger Tincknell have over four decades of performing experience, providing hundreds of performances in school and community settings throughout the northeast. Their warm and participatory programs involve audiences in a wide variety of cultural heritages. Davis and Roger have both received Parents Choice awards for their most recent recordings.

 

Brian Beaudoin, a resident of Westminster, has a BFA from Clark University and studied at the Worcester Art Museum. He is presently a teacher at Overlook Middle School. In addition to teaching full time, Brian offers private art lessons and does consignment work for local businesses creating murals, logos, business or private home illustrations, and other unique art related projects. He has won many awards including the 1998 MA Art Educator of the year and the 2000 Middle School Educator of the year.    

 

 

    

                     

 

 

        Libraries are not made, they grow.

                                                                     Augustine Birrell

 

Ronald Brough is an educator by profession, and taught music in Westminster for 36 years. He has been building scale wooden ship models for the past 12 years strictly as a hobby. His models involve anywhere from 1 to 3 years to create and are as precise as possible to the original.

 

Tracy Coluatti of Westminster, mother of two, is a graduate of St. Joseph’s College in Connecticut with a Master’s Degree in Education. She began Rubber Stamping as a hobby and now owns Tori’s Treasures (Stampin’ Up).  Rubber Stamping is a universal craft and can be used with various mediums. Tracy is eager to share her love of rubber-stamping and the involved techniques with others.

 

Kathleen “Sparky” Davis has been dramatizing favorite children’s stories for schools, libraries and festivals throughout New England for over 20 years.  She has degrees in English, Education and Library Science and enjoys sharing her love of stories with children and family audiences. Each show features colorful hand puppets, lively humor and plenty of audience participation.

 

Frank Despres is an educator and resident of Ashby. He became interested in the stars at a very young age. As a science instructor, he has many years experience helping young people discover the fascinating world of Astronomy. Upon his retirement on July 28, he will be drifting aimlessly so we enticed him to help with the summer program. He is a long time, close personal friend of the children’s librarian.

 

Mary Dunn, who lives in Westminster, graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, worked in advertising, and then taught art in Massachusetts’s schools for 32 years. Now retired, she enjoys painting in Maine and Massachusetts.

 

Laurie Tarr Ellsworth of Westminster, an artist and landscape architect, has been painting and drawing for many years. She uses watercolors to paint landscapes, still lifes and abstracts, and does realistic pencil drawings of people, animals and objects. She enjoys helping people create art while making it a fun and rewarding experience.

 

Amy Kukta is a long time resident of Westminster. Having earned a BFA from Framingham State College, Amy has continued to study art and is a member of the Leominster Art Association.  Her current projects include the mural of Westminster History, which is on display

at FML. In addition to her artwork, Amy has been

involved in the study of local bird populations and                habits. As an owner of companion birds and a

back yard bird watcher, she has amassed a great deal of information about local birds, which are often the subjects of her painting.   

                                                                               

Leeann and Alix Lamsa are long time residents of Westminster, where Leeann has been an art teacher at WES. Music is a special bond between she and her daughter. Alix is entering her last year at the Bancroft School in Worcester and has been studying the violin since the age of 4. Her first full   sized violin was a 150 old instrument passed   down from her family to her through her     grandmother, Celia Lamsa, who also played the violin. Alix still has that instrument but plays a French violin made by a modern luthier. Alix does not plan to pursue a career in music, but   she does plan to always play the violin!

 

Paula Magee is a Westminster resident and the mother of three daughters. She is a fitness instructor at the Mount Wachusett Fitness Center. Paula is certified through AFAA (Aerobic Fitness Association of America). She is also certified in Youth Fitness and Silver Sneakers (Fitness for Seniors).

 

Greg McAdams has been making events magical and memorable since the age of 15. He started practicing his magic skills at the age of 8 and now makes his living performing it. His main focus is on educational programs dedicated to teaching children and helping them with tough problems. This summer, he will be making “Pottermania" come to life.

 

Sue Marshall is a recent graduate of Lesley College with her Masters in Elementary Education. After a successful career in Human Resources, she left to pursue her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. An active volunteer at Westminster Elementary School, she began the very popular after school program “Purple Cat Crafts”. Ms. Marshall also offers her services developing lessons and activities related to school curriculum and holiday themes and planning children’s birthday parties. She hopes to be teaching at a local school in the fall.        .

                                     

 Haruo Shiga was born and raised in Japan and emigrated to the United States where he met his wife at the University of Denver (They had grown up only 60 miles apart in Japan!). An educator who lives in Holden, he also graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. He is currently working on his fourth US flag, each one made of 600 to 800 red, white and blue paper cranes for peace. This one will be sent to Kennedy Space Center in memory of the shuttle astronauts. He plans to send his next flag to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC.

 

Lisa Weissman moved to Massachusetts 3 ½ years ago. Following a career in public relations, she is now a” stay at home” mom with three children, Lisa is passionate about scrap booking and preserving the past for future generations.  Lisa says, “We are who we are because of who we came from”. Lisa is interested in helping individuals preserve their heritage. She is affiliated with Creative Memories, a company that provides scrap-booking materials.

 

 

Angela Werner, of Hubbardston, is the owner of Creative Cuts ‘N More on Main Street. A graduate of Rob Roy Academy of Hair Design, she has owned her own shop for two years. The mother of three children, Angela is involved in the Locks of Love Program, which donates hair to create wigs for cancer patients.  Angela enjoys making people look good and feel good about themselves.

 

                              

 

 

 

The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System prints this newsletter.

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to all of the talented presenters, we have an “able-minded” and enthusiastic library staff that will be making sure that all is going smoothly. I want to thank the following staff members who have volunteered to help this summer.

 

From the Children’s Room:

            

                  Maryann DeMarco 

                  Lisa Erickson

                  Marta Klemetti

                  Carol Young

                 

From the Adult Room;

 

                  Barbara Friedman

                  Jo Ann Helenius

                                 Sue Yraola 

  

Ian                                          

           Independent Study Opportunity for

                    Oakmont Seniors

O

           Are you interested in history? Web

          design? Work with primary and secondary

          sources from Westminster’s Forbush

          Library to create a web site on local

          legend General Nelson Miles and earn

          credit, too! Any senior, with permission of

          Dr. Hart may participate. For more

          information, see Dr. Hart or Brian Sargent.

 

                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year we are very happy to announce that Calico & Crème of Hubbardston will be furnishing our prizes this summer. Donald McKay, the owner, has generously offered to provide free ice cream cone certificates to all of the children who sign up and complete their reading agreement this summer. Calico & Crème is located at 55 Williamstown Road in Hubbardston. They serve salads, sandwiches, pizza, grinders and homemade ice cream. Mr. McKay will be donating ice cream to Westminster, as well as Gardner, Barre, Hubbardston and Templeton.

                

 

We will also be giving out coupons for one free admission to Roll-On America.

 

Two tickets to the Big E in September will be raffled off at the end of the summer.

 

This year we will have discount coupons to the following attractions:

 

American Textile Museum in Lowell, Cape Cod Museum on Natural History in Brewster, Ecotarium in Worcester, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (Amherst), Hancock Museum (Pittsfield), Higgin’s Armory (Worcester) Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), New Bedford Whaling Museum, Northfield Mt. And Recreation Center, Old Sturbridge Village, Salem Witch Museum, Seven Seas Whale Watch (out of Salem), Springfields Museums at the Quadrangle, Sports Museum of New England, Thornton W. Burgess Museum of New England, Wenham Museum, Zoo in Forest Park, Zoo New England.

                 

 

 

How Do I Earn an Ice Cream Cone?                         

 

Each person who signs up to read during the summer will be asked to read for at least 15          minutes a day. We ask that you stop in the library each week to have your card initialed by one of the library staff. Children of all ages are urged to participate. Read-To’s are children from birth to age 6. Read Alone’s are from ages 7 through 12.

 

Our program will last for eight weeks. If you read for 15 minutes a day you will have read or been read to for 840 minutes or nearly 15 hours. What a great way to spend the summer! And you will still have time for swimming, riding your bike, watching the clouds, and picking on your younger brother or sister. The last day for recording your reading will be on August 15^th.

        

 

Each book sale will be unique. Every time you shop at one of our summer book sales you will see different items, but there will always be a good selection of children’s books, adult paperbacks and hardcovers,  videos, etc. Prices range from $.50 to $3.00. Great buys, great fun! All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Library projects.

 

 

    S-T-R-E-T-C-H with Diane Moore

 

Join Diane Moore and company each week as she teaches this yoga-like class of stretching and relaxation. They meet on Wednesday evenings. There is a cost for this class. Please call the library for further information.

 

 

 

 

Nature and books belong to the eyes that see them.

                                      Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,

And all the sweet serenity of books.

           Henry Wadsworth Longfellow