Another summer has passed for the 40 Days of Summer program at the Thomaston Public Library. Our activities included a visit from Chewonki Foundation, Northern Stars Planetarium, Project Puffin Audubon Center and Pope Memorial Animal Shelter. We celebrated Harry Potter Days and had messy science; made legos and learned about forensics with Patty McDonald; were visited by the Thomaston Police and were introduced to robots by Chris Dorman, Maine State Library STEM/Emerging Technologies Specialist. We learned about bees and sharks and lots of water everywhere was de riguger for hot days. There was much more and healthy snacks and lunches every day.

A total of 133 children from 84 families participated and nearly 1,100 meals were served.

We were generously supported by the Rockland Kiwanis Foundation, American Legion Post 1, the Episcopal Church of St. John Baptist, the Federated Church of Thomaston, Lyman Morse as well as by individuals and families in our community. Food for the first seven weeks was supplied by RSU#13. The final week was hosted by the Friends of the Thomaston Public Library and had "guest" cooks including the Gary Owen Bike Club who roared up on their bikes and barbecued hot dogs and burgers. We ended our program with traditional pizza and root beer floats.

We were able to offer a grand summer experience for our children. So many folks to thank: a marvelous staff including our own Missy Harjula, Caroline Ward-Nesbitt and Hana Baker and a redux of last year's summer staff Caitlin Raye and Toby Mergendahl. Patty McDonald, Peggy McCrea, Peter Lambert, Jean Vose, William Dashiell, Matt Hansbury and Jessica Woodend thank you for your time and talents. Master-Clean provided us with an indispensible trailer for our supplies.

And we appreciate the support and efforts of the RSU 13 kitchen who supplied lunches. It's a wrap, until, of course, Summer 2018.

Thank you,

Diane Giese is the Librarian at Thomaston Public Library

Thomaston ME 04861