Candy Statistics Made Easy

            The Calhoun County Library held STEM and STEM, Jr. programs last Thursday following the Summer Reading Program to teach children statistics in an easy way.

            From 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM, we were counting candy at the Calhoun County Library! . Keeping busy schedules in mind, we scheduled these programs back-to-back so that children could attend the Summer Reading Program and then go directly to STEM and STEM, Jr. without having to come back later. Children ages 5 – 12 got to work hands on with candy as they learned everything about basic statistics. By dividing up the candy by color, the children were able to find out percentages based on how many pieces of a certain color they had. STEM documented their findings through bar graphs and pie charts while STEM, Jr. placed colored circles on the white board to make a conjoined bar graph. 

            We were fortunate enough to have Dr. Lesa Rice-Jackson and Janice Baskin as our instructors. They will be teaching the STEM and STEM, Jr. program again on Thursday, July 21, at 11:45 AM which will be right after the 10:30 AM program with the  Critter Keeper. We hope you will join us to learn about local plants, leaves, and stems.

            This project is made possible by an awarded grant from Save the Children to support early childhood literacy.

"The Fisherman and his Needy, Greedy Wife"

            The Calhoun County Library had Porkchop Productions perform a play as part of the Summer Reading Program last week.

            The second program for the Summer Reading Program was Porkchop Productions who performed their play titled, "The Fisherman and his Needy, Greedy Wife." On Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 10:30 in the morning, we had a great crowd laughing their fins off!

            This fisherman was a bad fisherman who never caught fish and his wife was not happy. She gave him the ultimatum that if he didn’t catch a fish by the end of the day, they were moving away from the sea. He was very nervous and anxious since he didn’t want to leave his home. Luckily, he caught a fish…but not just any fish… a magical fish who granted him three wishes if the fisherman would agree to throw him back into the water. The fisherman agreed and gave the three wishes to his wife to try and make her happy.

            The first two wishes were easily granted. First, the wife became a young and beautiful social media influencer with more followers than Ariana Grande and Tom Holland combined. Second, she got a mansion with 15 bedrooms, 3 pools, a personal chef, and a voice-activated flat-screen television. With her third wish, the wife wanted to be the queen of all the land with a fancy crown, cape, and many jewels. The magical fish refused to grant the third wish as the wife was getting greedy.

            After some turmoil and a little self-reflection, the wife returned to her old self and finally realized that she should be happy with what she had.

            This play, "The Fisherman and his Needy, Greedy Wife" by Porkchop Productions had a great message for everyone. The actresses also promoted an anti-pollution message, “Give a hoot, don’t pollute.” Because fish only have one home, they shouldn’t have to live in our trash that we carelessly throw away.

            Next week, in observance of July 4, we will not be having a Summer Reading Program on Thursday, July 7. The following week, we will host Mr. Tim Sonefelt and Larry the Duck for a spectacular show! That’s on Thursday, July 14 at 10:30 AM. Don’t miss it!

            Thank you to Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Funding received will support our summer reading program! Special thanks to Save the Children!

Summer Reading Touch Tanks

            The South Carolina Aquarium visited Calhoun County Library last Thursday to educate everyone about the animals that live in our oceans.

            The first program for the Summer Reading was the South Carolina Aquarium on Thursday, June 23, 2022. With a crowd of over 100 people, we were all educated about many things about the ocean.

            The equipment used to dive into our deep oceans is called remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). They have cameras, lights, and arms to inspect as much as possible. However, a huge portion of our oceans is still undiscovered because of the immense pressure that is at the bottom of the ocean. We know more about space than we do about our oceans. Isn’t that crazy?

            What we have found at the bottom of the ocean is shocking. We would expect there to be tons of creepy creatures down there and there might be, but it has been made known that even our trash has made it that far. That is why it is important to always recycle and reuse. We don’t want to harm an environment before we can uncover what it has to offer.

            Fun facts:

                1. Sea stars (starfish) have an eye on each end of their arm.

                2. Horseshoe crabs have blue blood that is used for many medical inventions such as vaccines.

            The crowd got first-hand views when the animals came out! A few touch tanks were available for people to see how certain creatures felt. There was a sea urchin, sea star, hermit crab, conch crab, and horseshoe crab. Many children and adults came up to the table to touch these harmless animals. It was a huge hit with hands-on learning from the South Carolina Aquarium for our Summer Reading Program’s first performance.

            Each week, we will have a fun in-person program that starts at 10:30 AM on Thursdays with a provided snack. Next Thursday, June 30, 2022, is the “Bathtub Pirates” puppet show by Grey Seal Puppets. Come watch a kid save the day against pirates using only a bathtub toy as his ship!

            We would like to thank everyone who came to enjoy our summer reading programs. These programs are 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. Thank you to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation; the funding received will support our summer reading program! Special thanks for support from Save the Children!

A Splashy Kickoff

            Last Thursday, the Calhoun County Library celebrated the beginning of summer reading with a splash!

            On Thursday, June 9, at 10:30 AM, the Calhoun County Library held an outdoor kickoff party. There were little pools for young children to splash around in, and the St. Matthews Fire Department created a fun splash zone by spraying their hose for people to run through. There were also crafts for all ages, water games to be played, giveaways from the Save the Children Foundation, and a frozen treat from Pelican’s SnoBalls of Orangeburg.

            This kickoff party was a fun start to our summer reading programs that are now in full swing. This year, we have two simultaneous summer reading programs for some extra competition for adults and children alike. These programs are entitled Oceans of Possibilities and Adventures to BOOKland. They are both in progress, and we are ready for patrons to register and join in on the fun!

            To register and start logging your and your children’s reading time, visit the Calhoun County Library website to get the account link, or you can download the Beanstack app directly on your phone. Registering is simple, but our Library staff is here to help if you need it. Once your account is set up, it’s time to read! When you reach the pre-set reading time goals, come to the Library to get a weekly prize and craft to take home. A drawing for the grand prizes of bikes and Kindles will be at the finale.

            Each week, we will have a fun in-person program that starts at 10:30 AM on Thursdays with a provided snack. Next Thursday, June 23, 2022, is a hilarious skit by our perennial favorite, Porkchop Productions. Everyone is sure to laugh so come on down and enjoy!

            We would like to thank everyone who came to enjoy the celebration kickoff party. This program is 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. Thank you to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation; the funding received will support our summer reading program! Special thanks for support from Save the Children!

Start Reading This Summer

            Two summer reading programs are now in full swing at the Calhoun County Library, and we’re ready for everyone to make a splash! We know our patrons are avid readers, so we have added a second summer reading program for some extra competition: Oceans of Possibilities and Adventures to BOOKland. They have both started, and we are ready for patrons to join in on the fun!

            To register and start logging your time, visit the Calhoun County Library website to get the account link, or you can download the Beanstack app on your phone. Once you have an account, it’s time to read! When you reach the pre-set reading goals, come to the library to get a weekly prize and craft to take home. The drawing for the grand prizes of bikes and Kindles will be at the finale.

            Each week, we will have a fun in-person program that starts at 10:30 AM on Thursdays with a provided snack.

June 9, 2022 is our Summer Reading Program Kickoff Party full of water games, crafts, frozen treats, and even a firetruck. Wear your swimsuit and prepare to get wet!

June 16, 2022 features the South Carolina Aquarium who will be teaching about ocean habitats with fun activities and live animals.

June 23, 2022 is a very funny skit by Porkchop Productions. Everyone is sure to laugh!

June 30, 2022 is a show by Grey Seal Puppets about a kid saving the day against pirates using only a bathtub toy as their ship.

There will not be a program on July 7, 2022!

July 14, 2022 we welcome magician Mr. Tim and his sidekick Larry the Duck as they catch waves and perform magic right in front of your eyes.

July 21, 2022 is a creepy, crawly favorite. Join us for two shows with the Critter Keeper! The first is at 10:30 AM, and the second is 1:30 PM.

July 28, 2022 is our Summer Reading Program finale! It is going to be packed full of games, treats, awards, prizes, and will even have a special reading with Cocky. Come celebrate all the reading you accomplished!

            Come have loads of fun at the Calhoun County Library and enjoy a summer of reading and learning.

            This project is 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. Thank you to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation; funding received will support our summer reading program! Special thanks for support from Save the Children!

Buzz! Buzz!

            The bees are back and buzzing at the Calhoun County Library thanks to the generosity of the C.F. Evans Construction Charitable Giving Committee and their gift of $500. Committee Chairman, Kendall Perrow, has shown a particular interest in the Library’s observation hive, and this is the second time this committee has sponsored our beehive revitalization. Last year, our hive unfortunately got into some pesticides and did not survive. We hope that this year’s new family of honeybees finds a safer food supply as they venture out from the safety of their library home.

            C.F. Evans Safety Director Hank Rhame is also our own kind of safety director as he handles the heavy lifting of our Library’s beekeeping program. As part of our pollinator initiative that began in 2016, the Library worked with The Bee Cause to install an observation bee hive that displays eight frames of honeybees in a safe manner. In April, Hank helped install this new hive after a little hardware renovation and spring cleaning. It is located in the children’s section of the library with special access to the outside world. Peek behind their protective cloth to see the busy bees at work. You might even get to see the queen bee in action. Will you be able to spot her laying her eggs?

            In 2015, the Calhoun County Library raised awareness about the importance of pollinators through the creation of the Gressette Children’s Garden for Pollinator Education. This garden brought together people of all ages as they worked together to create something beautiful and educational. The Calhoun County Library urges you to come to walk through the Gressette Children’s Garden to try to spot all kinds of pollinators and come inside to watch a bee colony hard at work. At the library, we have many books on the importance of bees and pollinating so come pick up a copy today to learn more!

            Thank you again to the C.F. Evans Construction Charitable Giving Committee for the donation so we could bring back our bees, and thank you to Hank Rhame for being such a fantastic beekeeper!

(Hank Rhame and Benjamin Young assisting with the observation hive installation)

(From left to right: C.F. Evans Construction Charitable Giving Committee’s Safety Director Hank Rhame and Chairman Kendall Perrow and Calhoun County Library’s Melissa McLeod.)

Yoga: Connecting Mind and Body

            Although Monday’s are considered one of the worst days of the week, Calhoun County Library might be able to change that opinion! Experience mindfulness on and off the mat with yoga. Start your week off right by attending a yoga class taught by Kathie Goodwin. Every Monday from 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM, we get out our yoga mats and focus on connecting our minds and bodies.

            Exhale to strengthen. Focus on balancing. Square your hips. Back to center.

            Through multiple stretching and breathing techniques, Kathie will guide you through movements that provide mental and physical benefits.  These classes focus on your inner awareness and your body’s present capabilities and emphasize the development of mind and body strength. Her instructions will challenge you without making you feel overwhelmed. Instead of feeling pressured to immediately perform correctly, the class feels more like a group of people encouraging each other. The energy is beautiful.

            It is only $2 a class or $7 for the entire month! All of us yogis (people who partake in yoga) meet every Monday first thing in the morning. We hope you join us for a class!

(Photo by Rachel B. Ficek)

Music & Movement

            We were movin’ and groovin’ at the Calhoun County Library on Saturday, May 14! Our kickoff for Music & Movement was filled with fun, and children learned how amazing they really are.

            The program will be held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 11 AM - 11:30 AM for children ages 0 - 5 and is funded by the State Library and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Representatives from SC State University’s Early Childhood Education Department instructed the program including an animated reading of Amazing Me!: Music! by Carol Thompson. While the book was being read aloud, participants were able to look at their own copy and read along; this board book was a take-home gift to help develop their home libraries.

            Following the read along, instructors mesmerized children with musical talents and a unique song which coincided with the Amazing Me! book. They had them swinging and swaying and singing all about how amazing they were.  They marched, hopped, and wiggled to the beat and didn’t even notice that they were actually learning and appreciating music. 

            Parents left the program with a board book, free diapers and wipes, and a meal coupon for a free meal at Town & Country Restaurant. 

            Don’t miss out on all the fun at our next Music & Movement program on May 28 at 11 AM!

            This project is 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.

Purple Martin Parade and Festival

            Calhoun County Library had such a great time at the Purple Martin Parade and Festival on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Attendance was outstanding with music, vendors, and entertainment for all ages. Calhoun County has a lot to offer!

(Photos by Richard Hall)

Día de los Niños Celebration

            “¡Lo pasamos muy bien al Día de los Niños!”

            “We had a great time at the Day of the Children!”

            We did have a great time celebrating our Spanish-speaking community at the Calhoun County Library on Saturday, April 30, 2022. We celebrated Día de los Niños, Children’s Day, from 11 AM – 2 PM with delicious food, fun, music, and friendship. Since 1925, Día de los Niños has grown into a celebration throughout Mexico, and it focuses on the importance of children in society while ensuring their well-being. The day was spent honoring children, their home languages and cultures, and promoting multilingual and bilingual literacy. The festivities were made possible through a multilingual collection development grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

            Along with tables displaying new bilingual and Spanish books for all ages, DVD’s, Launchpads, and Playaways, the library offered several crafts, Mother Goose on the Loose in Spanish, and Music & Movement including a picture book read in Spanish and English by our very own director, Kristen Simensen. Outside, children enjoyed face painting, games, relay races, parachutes with beach balls, and ended the day breaking open a beautiful handmade pinata in the shape of a piñata. Everyone enjoyed a tasty lunch from Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant and topped it off with a frozen treat from Randolph Artisan Italian Ice.

            Attendees, vendors, volunteers, and staff all had a wonderful time embracing Mexican culture, making new friends, and having fun!

Hop to the Funny Bunny Festival

            On Saturday, April 9, 2022, the Calhoun County Library held the Funny Bunny Festival from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

As patrons entered the library, they immediately realized that a bunny had snuck in and left his tracks all around the library! They followed tracks through the children’s section of the library to find the Easter bunny ready to take a picture.

While waiting for pictures to print, there were a lot of activities for the children to enjoy. There were multiple tables full of crafts - bunny faces, chicks in eggs, egg painting, bunny bags - which they could make on the spot or take them home. In an adjoining room, there were snacks of ice cream, cupcakes, and pretzels. Our local Farm Bureau organization also had a table with information for parents and candy for the children. We even had room for kittens from For the Love of a Paw and representatives to explain why it is so important to adopt animals. You can go visit at 2610 Cleveland Street in Elloree to find a loveable friend!

Once outside, the kids really had a blast! At 11:00 AM, the Easter egg hunt began between the courthouse and the annex building. Age-appropriate areas were flagged, and no one was left with an empty basket. Once the Easter bunny waved his flag, the kids scattered in all directions within the boundaries. With over 200 eggs hidden, it was exciting to watch the kids scurry around, grab the eggs, throw them in their baskets, and keep searching for more and more!

After the egg hunt, kids enjoyed meeting animals in our little petting area. There were goats, guinea pigs, ducks, chicks, and bunnies just waiting for a friendly pat or some carrots or lettuce to nibble. Parents as well as kids had a wonderful time petting and feeding the animals; some brave kids were even feeding them right out of their hands!

Lastly, the adults could pick up the photo with the Easter bunny and get a very special Easter book to read and to add to their home library.  We had a “bunch of fun” at the Funny Bunny Festival and can’t wait to continue the fun throughout the year!

March Community Baby Shower

            Calhoun County Library held their very first community baby shower for parents and expecting parents on Sunday, March 27, 2022 from 3 PM to 5 PM. Anyone who was pregnant or had a baby under the age of one and was a resident of Calhoun County was invited to join us for a special evening all about babies and parenting.

            At the community baby shower, everyone was very happy with the outcome of beautiful decorations, plethora of people, and three rooms dedicated to all things baby. A few local companies came to give out information about a wide variety of topics. Thank you to all of our speakers who came out, spoke, displayed, and/or gave out resources so that everyone would have what they need to thrive.

            Javonnah Lewis, Cassidy Gleaton, and Quinetta Garner from Calhoun County First Steps work to get children ready for school so they can reach their highest potential and they also sign people up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Dr. Sandra Stephens and LaShayla Venable from Family Health Center who talked about how a baby’s brain develops in such a quick time and that reading to a children helps with the growth process. Jennifer Madonna and Tomas Stephens from O.C.A.B. Head Start spoke about their pre-school program that is for three, four, and five year-olds. Donna Rhame from Regional Medical Center gave tips and tricks on how to breastfeed and why breastmilk is the best food for your baby. Patricia Funderburk from Safe Kids Orangeburg, Bamberg, and Calhoun Counties displayed the proper way to buckle a car seat and how to lay a baby down to sleep. Doctor Rosetta Dingle from SC State University showed how music and movement engage children and assist in their brain development.

            After that, all of the parents had the chance to move around and visit each table. There were toys, books, brochures with even more information, samples, bags, and contacts. At each station, one for each speaker, the parent would get their ‘Baby Shower Passport’ stamped. Once they visited each station and got a stamp, they would bring it to us. In exchange, they got a bag full of goodies! Diapers, wipes, a family literacy activity calendar, and five books to start their very own library!

            We will be having another community baby shower in the month of September this year so be on the lookout for that information coming soon!

            This project is 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.

Standing, from left to right: Javonnah Lewis (Calhoun County First Steps); Dr. Sandra Stephens (Family Health Center); Jennifer Madonna (OCAB Head Start); Donna Rhame (Regional Medical Center); Tomas Stephens (OCAB Head Start); Cassidy Gleaton (Calhoun County First Steps); Quinetta Garner (Calhoun County First Steps) and Janice Baskin (Calhoun County Library)
Kneeling, from left to right: Kristen Simensen and Beth Rast (Calhoun County Library
Not pictured: Patricia Funderburk (Safe Kids of Orangeburg, Bambeg, and Calhoun Counties); LaShayla Venable (Family Health Center)

Purple Martin Parade and Festival

            Calhoun County Library is happy to announce that on Saturday, April 23, 2022, the Purple Martin Parade and Festival will be here in the heart of Calhoun County! The parade will run its usual course through St. Matthews on Bridge Street starting at 10 AM, and the festival will take place on the grounds of the historic Calhoun County Courthouse from 11 AM - 3 PM. 

            Look for Representative Russell Ott atop one of Calhoun County's shiny fire engines as the Grand Marshall of the parade! The Calhoun County High School marching band will be featured in the parade as well as elected officials and county emergency and utility services. 

            During the festival, babies and toddlers can enjoy storytime in the Library and also "A Tangle of Tales" puppet show by internationally-acclaimed puppet theatre company Grey Seal Puppets to be performed on the front steps of the Courthouse at 12 PM, 1 PM, and 2 PM. Teens will enjoy learning with a great hands-on demonstration of drug and alcohol awareness by Vincent Sanders with the Edisto Health Coalition. All youth will enjoy the inflatable play space featuring obstacle courses, climbing walls, and slides. Everyone is encouraged to take a stroll through the Gressette Children's Garden for Pollinator Education to see what's buzzing and blooming! 

            There will be some great food and treats from numerous food vendors including such local favorites as B&H Family, Calhoun Country Market, G&G Catering, Harmony Ice Cream, L&R Grilling & Catering Service, and O'Henry's Catering. Everyone can shop around for purple martin houses and other interesting vendor items as well as county and state service.

            Purple Martin Sanctuary level sponsors for this year's festival are Dominion Energy, The Fitts Company, Inc., and Russell Ott for House of Representatives. Purple Martin Colony level sponsors this year are Calhoun AutoWorks, Paragon Advisory Services, Spires Heating & Air, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, and TriCoLink. Their and the contributions of other generous organizations help make this year’s Purple Martin Festival possible. 

            We hope to see everyone sitting on the sidewalk watching the parade and later at the Courthouse grounds for the festivities. Let’s celebrate Calhoun County together and welcome the purple martins home!