This year’s Summer Reading theme is “Read Beyond the Beaten Path”, and it encourages exploring and adventuring, as well as skill development.  We are working now to create prizes that will appeal to children and families and encourage the exploration of a variety of activities that can be shared and enjoyed by readers of all ages.  When my children were small (they are now all in their mid-twenties!) we spent many summer days reading library books, and then exploring various areas, fishing, camping (making s'mores was the best part!) -- and our our summer excursion to Storyland was a much-anticipated highlight and adventure. 

We are hoping to have a selection of raffle prizes that would generate a lot of enthusiasm and showcase some of the options available as kids, teens, and adults participate in our "Read Beyond the Beaten Path".   We are looking at a variety of prize baskets to raffle: and are grateful for any donations that you might consider.  Themes:  Exploring Parks (include a family pass to Storyland?); Cooking/Baking; Readers' Baskets; Arts/Crafts, Fishing; Biking; Hiking; Swimming (including exploring underwater...) all of which will allow the students, teens, and adults and families from Hopedale, Massachusetts the opportunity to create special memories this summer.    

The benefits to the community include making the library more inclusive and hopefully generating more families actively using the resources available to every member of our community.  We are hoping to enroll more elementary, junior high and high school students in this year's summer reading program, and by providing additional incentives that would be highly sought after, and would encourage greater participation from students and their families. To allow for scheduling, some raffle prizes would be awarded in early July as part of our Summer Reading program - and would be an amazing incentive for those who register and complete log entries by that time.

How will donation be recognized?  Your donation would be featured and acknowledged in all of our Summer Reading publicity and marketing materials,  including our website, Facebook, and local news outlets; as well as information that is shared with students at all of the schools in Hopedale (Bright Beginnings Preschool, Memorial Elementary, and Hopedale Junior/Senior High School).   It would be a wonderful highlight of the program, and would provide a motivating incentive for our readers.