ORANGE — The Orange Public Libraries’ summer reading program has reached its fundraising goal and the Franklin County Community Meals Program can expect a $800 donation at the end of the summer.
The Friends of the Orange Public Libraries and an anonymous donor will contribute the money because the reading program’s children and teenagers have, as of July 31, read 44,002 minutes (733½ hours) and the adults have read 247 books, according to Jason Sullivan-Flynn, the children’s librarian at Wheeler Memorial Library at 49 East Main St.
Rachel Berggren, who took over for Andrea Leibson as the community meals program’s executive director in early June, said Sullivan-Flynn broached the program at the beginning of the summer to talk about the plan. Berggren commended the program for pairing reading with a food bank donation. She said it is a creative and effective way to engage the public.
“I think it’s the real way we’re going to make real change in this world, these kinds of programs,” she said, adding that she has been inspired by the outpouring of community support she has seen in her young tenure.
Sullivan-Flynn, who has worked at the library since January 2016, said the summer fundraiser predates his time at Wheeler and this year has gone virtual to accommodate the public constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the Friends of the Orange Public Libraries set a $400 goal and an anonymous donor offered to match it. He explained 2 cents were contributed for every minute a child or teenager read and each book an adult read brought in 50 cents. Sullivan-Flynn said these donation figures were twice as much as they are in a typical year because the pandemic has put an extra burden on people who suffer from food insecurity.
He also said many of the participating youngsters have written book reviews online.
“They’re engaging with the books that they’re reading,” Sullivan-Flynn said. “With these book reviews, they’re sharing their ideas about the books with one another virtually.”
He said the participation “speaks volumes, no pun intended.”
The summer reading program spans June 15 to Aug. 6. Participants are entered into weekly prize raffles. Computers and mobile devices can be used to log reading. Paper reading logs are available for those who would prefer them. Visit bit.ly/3hVc95L to register an individual or a family and bit.ly/3k0cJB6 to register a class or group. Go to orangelib.beanstack.org for more information.
Founded in March 1984, the Franklin County Community Meals Program operates a couple of food pantries and offers free meals at sites in Orange, Turners Falls and Greenfield. More information is available at www.fccmp.org.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.