Summer Reading Program kicks off at Manti Public Library
Clara Hatcher
Staff writer
6/22/2017
MANTI—Manti Public Library’s Summer Reading Program has officially kicked off.
For seven weeks, families across Manti can attend an hour of activities every Wednesday at 11 a.m. in front of the library.
Program organizers have molded this year’s activities to center around “Building a Better Community.” Librarian Jennifer Kelley said that this means “pulling together how our community works and how we can function together.”
Along with attending weekly activities, kids receive packets meant to help their reading progress over the summer. Ten-year-old Hunter Greening, marking his first summer reading program, says he has set a goal of reading 2,000 pages during the summer.
Greening and other children who fill their packets have a chance to win prizes, organized by age group, at the end of the program.
“It helps me get them to read,” Emily Peterson said. Peterson has been attending the program with her two kids since the family moved to Manti three years ago. “It’s a way to make books cool and interesting. It encourages them to keep reading throughout the summer.”
Library Director Lynnzie Williams said she is hoping to “teach this generation of kids to do things at home that will make the world better later on.”
Williams said the program encourages kids to get outside in the summer, as least for an hour.
According to Kelley, the program also provides a platform for community volunteers. Last year, Rebecca Williams, 14, was a program participant. This year, she can be seen helping set up and run activities as a volunteer.
“Last year was fun, but really hot,” Williams said.
At last week’s kickoff event Williams helped run a bowling-like activity where kids could attempt to knock over stacked cups with a beach ball. Elsewhere, community members participated in ring-toss, a beanbag toss game called cornhole and pin the face on the Lego man.
“We want to pull our community together,” Kelley said.
