VALDOSTA —
School might be out for summer, but with a little help from the South Georgia Regional Library, hundreds of local children will remember the magic of reading.
Thursday marked the official kick-off for the 2012 Summer Reading Program, which already has more than 800 individuals registered in only four days.
“I always tell the children that the most important key you’ll ever have is the reading key,” said Susie Butts, children’s coordinator for the South Georgia Regional Library. “If you can read, you can go anywhere; it’ll open any door in life.”
Library patrons spent part of their Thursday afternoon making dream bracelets and owl crafts, along with the opportunity to learn some new dance moves.
These types of activities will continue throughout the month of June with a plethora of events for all ages, including movies, crafts, musical programs, photography classes, candle-making workshops and story-telling opportunities.
Butts sees a direct correlation between reading and magic; the ability for the mind to interpret new adventures and fantastic impossibilities is just part of the magic.
“I think we all have magic; it’s what you bring to life, whether it’s reading everyday or something as simple as making someone smile,” said Butts.
Teenagers are still in love with the Harry Potter series, but “The Hobbit” and “The Hunger Games” are also flying off the shelves due to their cinematic releases.
Both children and parents can register for the Summer Reading Program by visiting any of the local libraries. There are plenty of incentives to record summer reading. There are coupons for free food and drinks from local businesses and a ticket for a chance to win grand-prize electronics. Younger readers who read 20 books this summer can enter to win a Nintendo Wii; teens can win an Xbox 360 and adults have the chance to win an Amazon Kindle Fire.
“The state of Georgia is third from the bottom nationwide when it comes to reading comprehension,” Butts said. “We have great teachers but you have to be able to reinforce those lessons as a parent throughout the year or in the summer.”
More information about the various programs and reading incentives available locally: Call the South Georgia Regional Library, (229) 333-0086; or visit www.sgrl.org.
Local News
Related Photos
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Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times Magic Man Bill Packard entertains the crowd with his special blend of multimedia magic Thursday during the opening kick-off party for the Summer Reading Program at the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library.
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Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times With help from assistant Patrick Wallace, 5, Magic Man Bill Packard performs a magic trick Thursday during his show at the Summer Reading Program kick-off party at the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library.
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