Each summer, three times a week, people from the Village of Rio and surrounding areas go to the Rio Community Library for a free lunch and new kids’ activity.
“[My kids] are always asking if can they go to the lunch at the library. It has been a tradition that we’ve done for years. They get to see their friends that they might not have seen for weeks or months,” said Chris Ditscheit, a parent from Rio.
In the town of just over 1,000 people, the library is a community hub.
“It brings the community together,” said Kade Hessler, a 5th-grade student from Rio.
“It’s not just for one subsection of town. Everyone is invited, adults, kids, below school age, whoever wants to come is welcome to be at this and take part,” said Ditscheit.
Activities that go with the lunch range from a magician performing tricks to animals for kids to look at and pet. At this lunch, a new pickleball set was the featured activity.
“Enjoy our pickleball net! We’re proud of our pickleball net,” said Roxanne Staveness, the library director.
The free summer lunch program was initially started to address food insecurity, particularly in the summer when school is out. Rio is considered a food desert; the nearest full-size grocery stores are over ten miles away.
“There still is food insecurity. But as I watch, it’s not necessarily who people think it is. We all know we are all having to budget, and food prices get weird,” said Stavness. “It’s evolved into much more than food. It’s community, because when all the kids are out on the lawn, it is full, they’re laughing.”
Each week, a different local organization volunteers to provide the lunch, and the activities are donated or paid for with monetary donations.
This week, the Rio Area Library Friends, or RALF, donated and served the food. They are a group of local volunteers who support the library.
It is a big community project and it’s wonderful," said Beth Ann Scott, a volunteer with RALF.
The lunch program has become a summer community tradition. On a given day, they serve roughly between 40 and 100 plates of food.
“My goal since coming here is to be the third place in this community,” said Staveness. ”So, the first is your home, your family, the second is your job, the third is the library.”
The Rio Community Library prides itself on being more than just a place to check out books. They have several programs for kids, a garden, games, a LEGO club, and a book delivery service for area seniors.
The library building turned 30 this year. An anniversary celebration is planned for the Fall.
No comments:
Post a Comment