Summer reading program ends with dough parties

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The 2017 Summer Reading Program offered by the Copperas Cove Public Library is now history as of Wednesday afternoon, when the library hosted Dough Parties with the help of Domino’s Pizza. 

The free end-of-the-summer celebration included approximately 200 children ages 1-15 who met all three reading levels of the program, said Martha Dye, who oversees the summer activities for the program. 

Ingrid Kiefer, district marketing director for Domino’s and a former manager of the Copperas Cove store, brought several from Domino’s to show off their dough-tossing skills to the kids. 

Afterward, the kids had the chance to play with pizza dough, then line up for fresh, hot pizza and a drink. 

Gerry Boettcher has been bringing her eight-year-old granddaughter, Angel, every summer to the program since Angel was five.

Boettcher thinks the program is great for instilling a love of reading for kids and believes it can make a difference in the long run for them. 

“We’ve gone to all the activities this summer,” Boettcher said. “It really gives kids something to do and if it wasn’t for programs like this, some of these kids might not finish school. It helps them keep the skills they learned during the school year.”

Angel said she looked forward to the pizza, and she read a total of 30 books during the program this year. This year, it was extra-special for Angel, said Boettcher, because she didn’t meet all three her reading goals last year.

Martha Dye doesn’t have a final tally of numbers achieved by the summer readers, but said one of the things she noticed this year was the number of families bringing their children to the activities. 

“It’s great to see so many families coming with the children, both moms and dads. We also offered evening performances, so those working would be able to bring their children after work.”

Dye said no one had to be turned away this year from performances, which included magic acts, animal shows and more. 

Library director Kevin Marsh said community groups such as the Optimist Club and the Noon Exchange Club of Copperas Cove stepped up to help fund entertainment. This year, Friends of the Library has also continued their support via used book sales and volunteering for summer reading events. On Wednesday, the Knights of Pythias provided two bicycles, one to a boy and one to a girl, who achieved all three reading levels for the summer reading program. Names were selected via a drawing.