Happy Hunt Library Founder's Day, that would be the Hunt Sisters, in Falls Village CT on September 17th, 2016

Congratulations to the folks working to keep the doors open and programs runnign at all civic and faith organizations, particularly at schools, daycares and libraries (or lion-braries as I like to playfully call them especially to get kids excited to go hunt for which books and people are "lyin' around" in a library.

There could be friendly Leo and Leila Lions greeting folks on online visitor pages, with journals to capture ideas and addresses (mainly towns and even just first names unless there is a more secure way to make a data base such as file cards dropped into a box.) More on this idea on a post about 'Lion-braries' with a picture of a joyful fellow riding a lion( statue) outside the NY Public Library.

The idea would be to make it a hub of the community with a sense of contributing and filling the center in on who is in the community, what they are doing and wanting to share. That is a delicate way of building social capital but that helps a lot over time to gain support for community-friendly endeavors such as libraries and even public schools, private ones, faith groups, senior and fitness centers and more.

That is a big way to say "Good work and many thanks" to all in that venue of serving the community and particularly in rural towns of small but mighty populations like Falls Village Ct. Have I gotten anyone to go visit there after many years of encouraging people to check it out? See what they're up to on www.huntlibrary.org

I think about a dozen folks that I know of and many more back when I had kids and was able to go there for story hours. It's a good secret so visit sooner rather than later. Today at 4pm they have a special event to honor three founding donor sisters of the library in 1889 to honor their brother David M. Hunt. This is the Sisters turn to be recognized as part of their 125th year as the library serving as the part of the heart of the community.

The festive day to acknowlege the three sisters is Saturday, September 17th, 2016 at 4pm.Their names are Harriet, Catherine E. and Wealthy Ann. See more on their site  for specialities like a new book issued at this time A Library for Nellie Grace by Betsy Howie and Robin Roraback.  Wherever you are, treat yourself and maybe a friend to a vist a library or locale to honor the generosity of those who have come before US-All to make the world a more" beYoutofully, "book"toful place and hopefully a friendlier, more Functional one too!

 In general,all the of the area's residents and guests can enjoy the libraries in each town which serve as unofficial community centers. Maybe more can be done along these lines to have a 'multi-functional use' of these important public resources.

Links with recreation and even social service programs as well as educational groups would make sense. The schools, daycares and especially the high school could explore ways to enjoy such resources on field trips or with joint programming (some of which already helps fund visiting artists at schools and other programs.) HVRHS with the new Science and Tech center could likley find ways to incorporate more connection with all of the towns as well, and again see Falls Village as an extension of the campus.

Parents working together with clear agreements, as well as with others in a community, could provide more supervised safe ways for high school kids and even younger ones to network. Ideally all that would be thought through with good 'safety wise' type guidelines and 'safe church policy' type screenings and activities.

Liability is usually a hurdle, but consider the ways people can help more students enlist in good school and rec programs (sports, drama, science and so on) and work to help them do well academically and be fit and healthy. More adults (thru adult ed) but in general can also find ways to network and build communities that thrive and work to include more people...especially in rural areas.

See other posts on www.livfully.org and try to realize if services are lacking in a rural area (or even statewide) which is generally the case for many low-income or mentally stressed or abused people, then the community is also not well served.

Better to post what a group or state Can do and what it Can't do (for whatever reason). But then there's the Gray Area where people cannot speak to the reality, criticize (even for the sake of improving things) and get the help needed (often in dire situations.) 

Okay, that's plenty for now,..now back to Nellie and the Hunt Sistas, many thanks for all the hoopla and progress! Hats off to all working in the caring capacities as parents, caregivers, teachers, librarians, bus drivers and coaches, volunteers and paid leaders and helpers.. basically Everybuddy. Self-care in balance with caring and sharing with others will help the forest of friends grow in balance and success!