Building good foundations at the library

Johnette Downing and Charlie “the Noiseguy" Williams.

The St. Bernard Parish Library summer readers are right on schedule when it comes to having fun. Participants have registered and begun construction of their activity sheets. They have attended several project meetings in the form of story craft programs, special guest visits, and artistic performance. Progress is expected to continue during the second and third weeks with more production meetings with a martial arts demonstration by Mr. Zane of Spitnale’s Martial Arts Academy on Thursday, June 15 at 11:30 a.m. Summer readers are also invited to the library’s Fridays with the Arts performance on June 16th at 3 p.m. Johnette Downing will be the featured artist. Participants are sure to gain a lot of knowledge and laugh while doing so when Downing presents her Build a Book, Construct a Song program. Her free, one-hour show will feature a book and song created on the spot with the audience assisting in every step. Downing, a New Orleans native, is an award winning musician and author who regularly performs internationally and is known as the Musical Ambassador to Children and the Pied Piper of Louisiana Music Traditions.

Activity levels will remain steady the week of June 19th with continued library events. The ‘Tools of the Trade’ story craft program will take place on Tuesday, June 20th at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and it will be repeated on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Story craft programs are designed for pre-readers through 3rd grade but all ages are welcome. St. Bernard’s Home Depot leadership staff will present a Tool Petting Zoo on Thursday, June 22nd at 11:30 a.m. Summer readers will learn about construction tools, be able to touch them and hear the sounds they make.

The library will be a rather noisy work zone when Charlie “the Noiseguy’ Williams makes his appearance as the Fridays with the Arts performer of the week on June 23rd at 3 p.m. Williams is a vocal sound impressionist who imitates the sounds of planes, trains, automobiles and much more. Williams, a former librarian, is also a children’s comedian, author, illustrator and onomatopoet.

The library’s popular Fridays with the Arts series is funded by a grant from the from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and as administered by St. Tammany Parish. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works.

Readers are reminded to continue to work on their activity/game sheets. Certificates of completion will be issued beginning on Monday, June 19th. Pre-readers through 5th graders who complete their tasks by the Thursday, July 13th deadline will receive coupons from McDonald’s of St. Bernard, a certificate of completion and have their name entered into the Grand Finale Prize drawing set for Friday, July 14th. 6th through 12th graders are also asked to turn in their completed activity sheets by July 13th to receive McDonald’s coupons and a magnetic bookmark, while supplies last. Their names will also be entered into the Teen and Tween Prize Drawing set for Saturday, July 15th at 11:30 a.m. Adult readers have until Saturday, July 29th to complete their bingo games and receive their McDonald’s McCafe coupon and magnetic bookmark, while supplies last. Adult prizes will be drawn on Tuesday, August 1st. Readers who are unable to attend the prize drawing or who finish after the finale, have until August 1st to receive their rewards. Prize sponsors include: Audubon Institute, Chalmette Movies, Crave Bar and Grill, J & M Jewelers, Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours, Kiwanis of St. Bernard-Arabi, Louisiana Children’s Museum, McDonalds of St. Bernard, National World War II Museum, New Orleans Paddlewheels, P.J.’s Coffee of St. Bernard, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Wow’s Cafe’ & Wingery.

For more information, please stop by the library at 2600 Palmisano Blvd. in Chalmette or call (504) 279-0448. Patrons can “like” the library on Facebook to get updates on library activities and they can also check out the library’s website at www.mysbpl.org.

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