Growing with Peter Rabbit

            Spring is here and everything is in bloom. To stay healthy, busy, and get growing, the Calhoun County Library hosted Grow with Me at the end of March.

On Saturday, March 29, 2025, we had around 200 people come through the doors from 10 AM - 12 PM for Grow with Me. We built a homemade pine cone birdfeeder, planted a windowsill herb garden, made a “Hairy Harry” plant craft, and learned about the parts of a flower. We even had a cute little petting area complete with a little white bunny named Daisy, two baby ducks, and two baby turkeys. Children enjoyed feeling how soft they were and listening to the chirps and squeaks!

So many children had their faces painted; we saw everything from a butterfly to a tiger! One of the best experiences of Grow with Me was planting a tomato plant! Each child got a big pot, filled it with soil, and picked a tomato plant. We helped them break up the roots, place the tomato plant in the pot, pat down all the top soil, and water it. Of course, we had to give information about how to care for this plant so that each child has the joy of being able to pick off a tomato plant they grew themselves!

There was a special appearance during Grow with Me too: Peter Rabbit came hopping down the bunny trail to take pictures with everyone to celebrate the changing season! We had healthy snacks and refreshments available during the event, supporting heart-healthy meat and fruits. In addition to all of the plants, we also gave out books to all of the children to keep learning about growing. We hope to see pictures of the kids with the Peter Rabbit and all the plants in bloom from Grow with Me at the Calhoun County Library.

Teen Night Martial Arts Protection

            As a teen, do you ever find yourself in a confrontational situation? A lot of people go straight to getting angry or fighting, but there is always a way to avoid that. The Calhoun County Library wants to make sure everyone knows how to de-escalate an unpleasant situation.

The Calhoun County Library had an interesting Teen Night on Tuesday, March 4, 2024, at 5 PM - 6:30 PM. We held a Jiu Jitsu class for the first time ever. Kevin Hess and Cameron Rast taught this grappling-based martial art which emphasizes strategic techniques and positioning to subdue an opponent. Instead of starting or continuing a physical altercation, we started this class by educating teens on how to de-escalate a potentially contentious situation.  The two instructors taught the teenagers how to protect themselves by using self-defense to disarm their attacker. One of these techniques demonstrated how to escape from an aggressor if you are pinned against a wall, and another tactic demonstrated how to avoid being pushed or backed up against a wall. Our teens learned how to avoid a confrontation and walk away from a physical altercation which is a win/win for everyone! Thank you to Mr. Hess and Mr. Rast for their demonstration and for teaching our teens an important life skill.

Teen Night is all about having fun and learning life skills. We are glad that we were able to teach our teens self-defense this year and look forward to continuing this. If you are between the ages of 12 - 17, we would love for you to join us on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month from 5 PM - 6:30 PM!