The Mighty Purple Martin Painting

             Purple Martins are known for eating pesky insects and looking for a birdhouse to make a nest in throughout our county. In Calhoun County, we celebrate these beneficial  birds during the Purple Martin Parade and Festival. The festival has grown to its capacity over the years, and, of course, the Calhoun County Library is a part of it!

On Saturday, April 20, 2024, the Calhoun County Library set up a tent with several tables and chairs, multiple easels, paint brushes and paints, and a paintbrush rinsing station at the Purple Martin Festival.  Former teacher of the year and current art teacher at Calhoun County High School, John Sawvell, instructed people of all ages in how to paint a purple martin. We provided canvases with the bird already outlined on them or more advanced artists used blank canvases. Mr. Sawvell had his high school students create connect-the-dots to make it easier and more enjoyable for those who needed some guidance. Amidst all the happenings at the festival, there was something peaceful about sitting under the looming oak trees in front of the courthouse and leisurely creating a work of art.  Our community is filled with talented people, and they came to paint with us! This was a free event and activity for every age. We also gave out CCL pens and pencils, and every child that came to our tent left with a free book. We painted over 100 purple martins and we look forward to doing this again next year already!

We would like to thank everyone who came out to support the community and Calhoun County Library. Thank you to John Sawvell who assisted us making this festival a huge success and had a blast celebrating purple martins!

Growing with Music & Movement

            The Calhoun County Library loves to help babies find their rhythm through a program designed to get children moving!

On the 2^nd and 4^th Saturday of the month, we hold Music & Movement for children ages 0 to 5. This starts at 11 AM and lasts for a music-filled 30 minutes. On Saturday, March 23, 2024, we held our annual Grow with Me event. Since this was the 4^th Saturday of the month, we also had Music & Movement and it really drew in a crowd! Babies were kicking and toddlers were bouncing as we moved and grooved with tambourines, shakers, and scarves. Even Peter Rabbit couldn’t help but get in on the dancing, singing, and moving! Over 20 children attended this program and not only did they have so much fun, but they also received free diapers, wipes, and a board book at the end! If this sounds like something you would be interested in bringing your child to, we would love to have you! This is a completely free program. Our next date is on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at 11 AM.

This program was made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the South Carolina State Library. It is offered in partnership with Calhoun County Public School District with support from the American Rescue Plan.