ASHLAND – Families looking for new opportunities to encourage their kids to read and stay active this summer can combine both activities thanks to the Ashland Public Library.
With the assistance of a grant from the Ashland County Community Foundation, the library has launched two Storywalk activities in the community this summer — one at Freer Field and one at businesses throughout downtown — and a special kick-off event is planned for the Freer Field walk at 10 a.m. Friday.
Hayley Bursley, Youth Services Coordinator for the library, came across the idea for Storywalk Ashland while researching possible activities for the library. Storywalk was created by Anne Ferguson in Montpelier, Vermont, and has now grown to be used at libraries and in communities across the country.
Storywalks are made up of laminated pages from a children’s book that are attached to wooden stakes, or in the case of the downtown Storywalk, posted in downtown windows, and placed along popular walking routes. In the case of Ashland, the library targeted the well-used Freer Field walking trail and Main Street businesses.
The story used at Freer Field is “Sheep Take A Hike” by Nancy Shaw, and the downtown story is “To Market, To Market” by Anne Miranda. The stories will be posted through Aug. 6.
There are 18 downtown businesses hosting sections of the story. Clothes Minded, 149 W. Main St., is the first stop, and the story continues down the south side of Main Street, with a brief detour down Center Street, before reaching the Ashland Fire Station, which is the 11th stop on the walk. The story then continues down the north side of the street before ending at Ashland Cleaning, 48 W. Main St. Maps for the downtown Storywalk are available at the library.
A special kick-off event for the Freer Field Story Walk is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday. Kids will make walking sticks and other activities are planned.
The kick-off for the downtown Story Walk is Wednesday, June 15, at 10 a.m. at the Corner Park at Claremont Avenue and Main Street. Special activities are planned.
All families who attend the kick-of events will be given copies of the books that are posted at the respective locations. Friends of the Ashland Public Library have donated funds to make the book giveaway possible.
Main Street Ashland and the Ashland County Park District partnered with the library to set up the walks.
“They’ve both been great organizations to work with,” Bursley said. “It was nice to have them so eager to partner with us to do something fun for the families in our community.”
Bursley credited the library’s maintenance associate Jim Thomas with creating the stands for the pages at Freer Field.
“He did an amazing job. He can make anything,” Bursley said.
Bursley said she would like to do another Storywalk later this year with a fall or leaf theme.
