Fans of Spot are ecstatic to greet him!
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire helped create a lot of joy at the 3rd annual Hugh’s Event in April. The money for this event comes from donations that have been made to the Hugh Ernst Memorial Fund. Hugh was a 13-month old who loved reading and stories, and his family, in collaboration with the library, created this wonderful event to celebrate his life.
Shelly, the Youth Services manager, says: “The family takes care of getting all of the volunteer–and there are a lot of them! We had 9 people dressed as book characters this year, so we someone for each of those, plus a reader for each of the 8 stories. Craft helpers, refreshment, people movers, musicians and we even had yoga for kids this year. I’m guessing there are about 40 volunteers all together… It is one of the most time-consuming yet worthwhile programs I plan each year. It would not be possible without all the volunteers and they come every year with huge smiles on their faces and interact with the kids in such a positive way. Despite how it all came to be, it is a joyful family event that, in the family’s words ‘keeps the legacy of Hugh Kozbial Ernst alive and vibrant.'”
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Frog gets a high-five, while Toad thinks about his list
What has been your experience with book character costumes? I’ll never forget taking my 18-month old to an event and finding Clifford there, in all his big and red-ness. She nearly climbed over the top of my husband, trying to get away, and for months afterwards we heard about Kiffug and his foppy ears. Part of processing the experience meant checking out every single Clifford book from the library, so it definitely promoted reading. It’s really great to see the kids in these photos having a lot less angst and a terrific amount of enthusiasm! How exciting to see your favorite book characters coming right off the page! Amazing to get to greet them, hug them, lend them your sunglasses… For more delightful photos, see the slideshow posted by the library.