At a Glance

Oct. 26 – Reading Group, 7 p.m., at the library.

Oct. 31 – Halloween Story time, 4:30 p.m. at the library.

Grant allows library to “Blast Off with Books!”

A generous $1,500 grant donation from the Sam’s Club Foundation, through the Scarborough Sam’s Club and the efforts of Raymond resident Kevin O’Connor, is making a new literacy outreach program possible this year.

“Blast Off with Books!” brings story hour support and literacy information to day care providers in Raymond, targeting the preschool population that is unable to attend the Toddler and Preschool Story Times held at the library. Youth Services Coordinator Sue Ellen Gendron is developing and delivering this pilot program at two day cares and will also share resource information with all community daycare via a “Blast Off with Books!” newsletter. Additional money supporting this program comes from a grant from Maine’s Communities for Children and Youth organization.

The Libri Foundation, based in Oregon, offers Books for Children grants for small, rural libraries and the Raymond Village Library has received 64 books for a total value of $1,069 in grant funding.

The selection includes picture books, fiction and non-fiction for the elementary and middle student as well as some on the years Maine Student Book Award list. The Eleanor Plummer Memorial Fund helped the library meet the 2:1 grant match requirement. Ms. Plummer was the long-time librarian and the person to whom the children’s room was dedicated.

Summer Reading Program a success

Ahoy there! Pirates were the theme for the Summer Reading Program at the Raymond Village Library. With more than 40 children participating, the summer started off with pirate-themed stories as well as stories involving treasure or ocean adventures. Each participant was encouraged to read as many books as possible each week of the six-week program. Coins were earned for each book read and put into a treasure box for a weekly drawing of the lucky someone’s name to receive a coupon for a free Kids Pack meal at Subway. In addition to encouraging reading, this fun-filled program had a bag waiting for each participant every week containing a project or two to make at home. The projects had pirate/nautical themes with fun crafts such as making a compass, a spyglass, a Jolly Roger and even a pirate ship!

Also in the weekly bags retrieved from the library, were letters from the past (fictitious) giving clues to different locations in Raymond. Using maps of Raymond from long ago, families had to decipher where treasure was hidden according to the information given in each letter.

As a finale for the program, the Raymond Village Library hosted a Buccaneer party on August 22. Activities such as walking the plank, the White Dot game, Guess Where the Treasure Is, as well as hunting for diamonds hidden in stones, were all part of the celebration. Pirate foods were enjoyed and many prizes were given.

Thanks are owed to those who contributed to the program: Mains Pizza of Raymond, Sherwin Williams of Windham, Radio Shack of Windham, The Mosquito of Raymond, Hannaford of Windham, Wal-Mart of Windham, Subway of Windham, The Good Life Market of Raymond, Hawthorne Association, Foss Manufacturing, Arvco, Sadak family of Raymond, and to those who stepped up to help the celebration, including Norma Richard, Gail and Tucker Cole, Deb Adams, Troy Eastman, and most of all Lisa Friedlander who plans, coordinates, prepares, facilitates, and donates her time and talents to Raymond Village Library’s Summer Reading Program.

Reading Group

The reading group will meet October 26 at 7 p.m. to discuss Howard Frank Mosher’s “Waiting for Teddy Williams.” Those who have enjoyed Mr. Mosher’s previous book, “Stranger in the Kingdom,” are encouraged to read this book and join us for discussion.

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