Elkader Friends of the Library stay connected to community with Family Fun Bags
This tree activity is just one of the things kids will find in the Family Fun Bags from the Elkader Friends of the Library and library staff. (Submitted photos)
With this activity, kids can tell their own mitten story.
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
It was eight years ago, on a trip with her granddaughters to an American Girl Doll-themed tea party sponsored by the Elkader Friends of the Library, that Faith Blaskovich first fell in love with the organization.
“It was an outstanding afternoon, and before we left, I’d made a donation and became an official ‘friend,’” she said.
Since then, Blaskovich has risen to be the group’s current president, overseeing members, or “friends,” on a civic minded quest “to promote, improve and support the library.”
These people, according to Blaskovich, “know that quality library service is important to their community” and they’re an active group. They’ve sponsored holiday parties for children, financed guest speakers and authors, purchased important extras for the library, funded summer reading program needs, organized the annual book sale and held special fundraisers.
“The Friends group promotes the library and provides additional support and funding for extra programs for the library,” said Elkader Public Library Director Lisa Pope.
For Blaskovich, “Being a Friend of the Library means you are offering financial and social support—no meetings required, although everyone in the community is welcome to attend Friends meetings.”
One activity the group is doing this year is Family Fun Bags. The lack of in-person programing and challenging limitations imposed by COVID-19 led to some brainstorming about how to continue to engage with students and families that are no longer able to visit the library. So, an idea was born—one that reminds people of the library’s connection to the community and one where the 30-plus members of the Friends could plan, implement, donate and contribute to the continued vitality of the community.
“The Family Fun Bags are a way for the library to stay connected with kids, and remind families that, even in these times, the library is a constant source of entertainment, education and fun,” Blaskovich said.
The first round of Fun Bags was back in October, when members filled large gift bags with an assortment of eight crafts, activities and projects. Around three dozen were offered first-come, first-served, at no charge.
According to Blaskovich, “Nearly everything needed was included, requiring only your own scissors and glue at home.”
The response was so overwhelming the Friends decided to run it again.
“All bags were taken and used, and we decided to offer Fun Bags again in December. We’re super-excited about these bags—a great bag full of creativity that members of the family can have fun doing together,” Blaskovich said.
All the bags were filled with donations from Friends members or purchased with extra money from the treasury of the Friends of the Library. Blaskovich mentioned that, even though local businesses were not asked to help or donate, they always do.
“Their generosity in the past has helped in many ways, and donations to the Friends by anyone are always put to good use,” she said.
For Pope and Blaskovich, the library is a special place. It’s not just about the Friends and what they provide, but also what the library itself provides. One of those things used to be the once-a-month half-hour story time led by Blaskovich, which has been put on hiatus due to COVID-19.
There is a community connection that is being lost, so Blaskovich eagerly awaits the day when she can return to the social interactions that are at the core of what it means to be human.
“As soon as everything is open again, I’ll resume the story times. Each and every visit with the students begins and ends with the message that the library is the source of all the great stuff I’m pulling out of my book bag. It’s one of those places we can so easily take for granted, realizing how much we depend upon it, and how much we miss it, when we can’t just walk through the door,” Blaskovich said.
But for now, little things like the Fun Bags are ways for the community to stay connected to the library and each other, in a safe way. Anyone who wants to give back to the community can become a member for just a small fee. As Pope said, “the more the merrier.”
Family Fun Bags are free to pick up from the Elkader Public Library entryway. One per family, please.
