By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Ransom District Library assistant director Erin Marsh knows how busy the summer months are for children and their families.
That’s why she was beyond excited that nearly 700 children signed up to participate in this year’s Summer Reading Program, which had a theme of “Color Your World.” Of those participants, 300 reached their goal of reading at least five books.
“In other words, 43 percent of the children who started made it to their goal,” Marsh said. “In a world where family, friends, sports, summer fun, streaming and internet all compete for a child’s attention, I think this is an outstanding result.
“I am very proud of the kids in the Plainwell community for this accomplishment.”
According to March, many of the children opted to read more than five books, with additional prizes being earned for every five books read.
“We tracked the initial goal by giving kids a hexagonal-shaped card and inviting them to decorate it with their name and colorful stickers,” Marsh said. “We then placed it on the front wall in the lobby.”
The use of the hexagonal-shaped cards was based on an artist named Yayoi Kusama, who has created dynamic exhibits she calls “Obliteration Rooms.” In these exhibits, visitors add stickers to a plain white room and transformed it with color.
“I was very pleased with the outcome of the summer reading program,” Marsh said.
With the theme of “Color Your World,” there was no shortage of programming ideas, according to Marsh.
“’Color Your World’ was such a rich theme to work with,” she said. “Highlights included the messy art days we held for younger children and teens separately. Paint was flung with catapults that we created in our Design Lab, paint-filled balloons were popped, and kids also had the opportunity to paint with squeegees and fly swatters.
“No one went home clean, but everyone went home knowing that they had had fun creating freely.”
Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary’s presentation was also a big hit, as was the visit by the Sigma Wild Animal Conservation.
This visit included a first for Ransom, as a skunk—with scent glands removed—graced the library for the first time. They also brought a milk snake.
“Their talk about how animals use color was very interesting,” Marsh said.
Teens also enjoyed a tie-dyeing event, as they embellished their clothing and attended an after-hours game night.
Marsh was quick to thank Plainwell Community Schools art teacher Laura Strader for the use of some student artwork to brighten the library.
Other thank-yous went to Plainwell Ice Cream for donating free ice cream cones to children who finished their goal and to the team of volunteers who helped support the many events and activities the library hosted.
“Plainwell Family Coach Kelli Stuifbergen, in particular, lent her helping hands to me many times over the summer,” Marsh said. “I’d like to give a shout out to her.”
