The Enterprise
Stuffies will have the run of the place at the Ontario Community Library the night of Thursday, Oct. 24.
That’s when the library will host a Stuffed Animal Sleepover.
The event, organized by the Friends of the Library, is for children age 4-9.
Darlyne Johnson, library director and liaison to the Friends, said the participating children will bring their favorite stuffed toy to the library for a fun program from 4 to 5 p.m.
“We’ll have snacks, and we’ll have a story and a craft time,” she said.
After that, the real fun for the stuffies begins as the children tuck them into new blankets for the night. The children go back home, but the stuffies get to spend the night in the library.
The children will pick up the toys at the library the next day, Oct. 25, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. In addition to taking home their stuffies, each child gets to keep the blanket, a book of their choice and two photos – one from the tuck-in time and one of the stuffed animal’s adventures overnight.
The event is a first of its kind for the Ontario library. It’s been done at other libraries, Johnson said, but not in Ontario, so the Friends group decided to give it a try.
The Friends are providing the blankets, and the gift books come from the Friends and the library’s outreach program.
The event is free but pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, so the sleepover planners can be prepared for a fun night.
Registration forms are available at the library, 388 S.W. 2nd Ave., or via a link online at the Friends of the Ontario Community Library page on Facebook.
Children attending the program must be accompanied by an adult or guardian over the age of 15.
Organizers are excited about the new event, which they hope will attract new library visitors.
“We think it’s going to be fun,” Johnson said. “And it’s one of those things we can do to encourage more children – and adults – to come to the library.”
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