Copperas Cove Public Library Summer Reading Program Kicks Off

By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Public Library’s Summer Reading Program kicked off with a swash-buckling good time in the library’s meeting room Tuesday afternoon. 
Children and their parents attended the 2 p.m. kickoff in the Library Meeting Room, where they saw sword-fighting/fencing demonstrations by Library Director Kevin Marsh and a volunteer from the Society for Creative Anachronism, as well as a performance by the S.C. Lee Junior High School cheerleaders. The children then got to color their own shields and receive a balloon sword for battling. 
Children’s Librarian Karen Eacrett explained more about the Summer Reading Program lineup and registration and tossed in a few ocean and pirate themed jokes in between. 
Eacrett said that the library’s Summer Reading Program serves as a “camp” type activity for families during the summer. 
“Something I point out to people when they’re checking out is that the library is such a bargain,” Eacrett said. 
Each receipt from the library includes the amount saved by checking out books from the library during that visit as well as an overall amount, she added. 
“It’s not just the books. It’s also recreation-wise too and education-wise,” Eacrett said. “There are people who are going to camps and things like that, and some people call this a camp, and it’s free. Everything that we are doing is free to the public.”
Theresa Sundewall brought her son, Logan, 4, to the kickoff event Tuesday. 
Sundewall said she is very familiar with the Library’s Summer Reading program due to her daughter, Sharayah, 14, who attended the summer reading program each year from the age of 4 until the age of 10. 
“I used to homeschool her, and this was part of our summer curriculum,” Sundewall said. 
She said she was looking forward to this week’s Thursday show, which was Wild Things Zoofari, and she was also looking forward to the Austin Reptile Show. 
“Looking forward to just the fact that their doors are open and they’re doing this. After all the COVID things, just getting him out and exposure to other kids and activities and the importance of reading all at the same time,” Sundewall said. 
Sundewall said that reading is so important for her and her kids because it is “the core basis of our communication.”
“For me personally, I want my kids to be able to read something and not have to hear and know through other people’s words,” Sundewall said. “I want them to be able to read the Bible for themselves, read the newspaper for themselves and comprehend what they’re reading, so getting them to understand basic language is just super important.”
Sundewall said that she is also faced with how different her children are with learning how to read. Her daughter loved to read and was able to blend words by the age of 4, whereas her son does not like to read as much. She said she is focusing on making reading something fun and exciting for him. 
Registration for Summer Reading opened online on June 1 and remains open through July 20. Children ages 17 and under will have opportunities to earn prizes and work towards an invitation to a special pizza party, courtesy of Domino’s Pizza. 
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10 a.m., Toddler Times and Story Times will be held. The first Toddler Time of the summer kicked off Tuesday, June 14, with the theme of “Pirates” and had record turnout of 93 people in attendance, including Children’s Librarian Karen Eacrett and volunteers. 
“That’s the most I’ve ever had in a story time,” Eacrett said. “I am delighted.”
The Tuesday afternoon programs, which are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m., will include special guest presenters from the City of Copperas Cove, Bell County Museum, Coryell County 4-H Ambassadors, KWTX Weather Man Brady Taylor, and the Texas Master Naturalists. Next Tuesday, Ronnie Jackson from the City of Copperas Cove Drainage Department will be sharing about the city’s water and where it comes from and goes. 
The Teen Group meets every Wednesday, at 2 p.m. and will give teens the opportunity to try new experiences with things such as Tinker CAD 3-D Printing, local archeology, manga drawing, a field trip to Ogletree Gap, flint knapping, plus hands-on music on drums with special guest Mark Shelton. 
Every Thursday, there will be three showtimes for the special entertainment: 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets for these free shows become available at 9 a.m. Wednesday, the day before the show. 
The first Thursday show of the summer was Wild Things Zoofari on Thursday. Next in the lineup will be a Magic Show with John O’Bryant, on June 23, with the Austin Reptile Show on June 30. Other Thursday show performers include Lucas Miller, the Singing Zoologist, who will be performing on July 21. New to the lineup this year is A Real Mad Hatter Pirate Show, on July 7, and fun-filled sea-faring tales with storyteller Bernadette Nason, on July 14. 
Hero Camp returns this year as well, with two classes on Tuesday evenings, at 6 p.m. for ages 7 to 10, and at 7 p.m. for ages 11 to 17, plus there is one advanced class on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. for returning participants. 
Information on registration and to reserve Thursday Performances Show Tickets can be found on the Copperas Cove Public Library’s webpage: www.copperascovetx.gov/library.