Topton >> The Brandywine Community Library celebrated its 25th anniversary on Saturday morning with a birthday bash for children.
The event, held from 10:30 a.m. until noon, kept the kids busy with a number of activities including story-time, crafts and games.
The event was created as part of a series of events the library is planning throughout the year to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Michelle Herman, the President of the Board of Trustees for the library, explained that initially, the event was a counterpart to a dinner dance planned for adults.
“The dinner dance didn’t end up working out, but at the time we thought we should have something for the kids, too,” said Herman. “We had a lot of kids at the summer reading program.”
The kids had fun with interactive story-time. They followed through doors, tunnels and down steps through a maze created to mimic the events in the book they had read. They also played a left-right game. Each child held a prize and was instructed that when they hear the words ‘left’ or ‘right’ they should pass the prize in that direction. At the end, they got to rip open their gifts and take them home.
Librarian Lynne Priester assisted the children in a game of Bingo and in a sock clown craft. Chump the Clown made balloon animals, while volunteers from Brandywine High School painted children’s faces.
The children also had the opportunity to gather around a cake and sing happy birthday together. All the birthday celebrants in the month of September got to blow out the candles.
The parents and children were mostly familiar with the library’s programs.
Sheila Hoppes, a regular visitor, brought daughters Allison and Abigail to the event after hearing about it through the library.
“We go to the library every two or three weeks,” said Hoppes. “We love it because there are kid appropriate games, puzzles and story time.”
Hoppes’ daughters are 3 and 5 and come to the library to learn and stay busy in a positive way.
“The library is fantastic,” said Hoppes. “They’re always doing fun activities to encourage the kids to read.”
Grandmother Shelly Adam expressed the same enthusiasm about the library for her 6-year-old grandson Colton Adam.
“The reading program is great, everything about it is,” she said. “It’s a place for the kids to go, have fun and learn to read. They do so many activities.”
The event was a celebration for not only the library, but also for the children who come.
“The kids are our favorite to have at the library, of course,” said Herman. “We do programs for all ages.”
The library hosts a Baby LapSit story-time, Toddler Time, pre-school story-time and events for teens including a Wii night. They offer resources and activities for all ages.
The Brandywine Community Library hopes to continue planning fun events for all ages throughout the year, on top of the activities they already offer.
For more information on the library, its activities or upcoming events, visit http://www.berks.lib.pa.us/sbr/index.php.