Touch a Truck

Touch a Truck

by Sarah Knechtel

On July 10, kids from all over Milan came to explore and learn about different jobs and vehicles. 

Huron Valley Ambulance, Milan Area Fire Department, Milan Department of Public Works, Milan Police Department, Milan Post Office, Milan Seniors for Healthy Living, Monroe County Farm Bureau, Kiser Farms (Ricky and Janice Kiger), the Monroe County Chapter of the American Red Cross, UPS, and the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office all came to Milan to teach kids about their jobs. Children were able to talk to different people from our community's organizations, learn about their jobs, and even sit in the vehicles. 

 “My goal is to make customers happy,” states Debra Doss who works for the U.S. Post Office. “The best part of my job is all of the people I get to meet,” says UPS worker Scott Watson. “I enforce laws to keep people safe,” states Jessica Wion, a Washtenaw County Sheriff. 

About 180 children came to this event, not including adults. Kids were fascinated to sit in and touch the vehicles, meet the people, and learn about the jobs they do. 

These jobs all help our community in some way. Whether they keep people safe or make people smile, these jobs are all important.

Library's note: 

See photos from the event here.

Thank you to everyone who participated:

City of Milan
Huron Valley Ambulance
Milan Area Fire Department
Milan Department of Public Works
Milan Police Department
Milan Post Office
Milan Seniors for Healthy Living
Monroe County Farm Bureau, Kiser Farms (Ricky and Janice Kiger)
Monroe County Chapter of the American Red Cross
UPS
Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office

Milan Summer Fest

Milan Summer Fest is next weekend (July 31 - August 1).  Plan to stop by the library for Superhero programs in the afternoon.  Registration is requested, but not required.  If you'll think you'll be able to come, please register here.  (If you've already registered for these programs through our Summer Reading Program, you do not need to register again.)  We'll also prepare for a few extras, so drop by on Saturday afternoon if you can. 

Activities are planned for the age groups listed, but older and younger siblings/friends/etc. may also attend. We hope to see you there!

Superhero Adventures

Kindergarten - 2nd grade

Saturday, August 1 ~ 1:00 - 2:00  P.M.

This program will be held in the library.  You'll hear a story about superheroes, make your own flying superhero, and test your superhero vision by making an I Spy bottle. 

Superhero Explorers

3rd - 5th grade

Saturday, August 1 ~  2:30 - 3:30 P.M.

This program will be held in the library.  You'll make your own superhero "rocket" and other superhero projects.   

Touch a Truck

Our Touch a Truck event will be held tomorrow (Friday, July 10) from 10:30 until 11:30 A.M. in the parking lot at the end of Neckel Court, by the ball fields.

Registration is NOT required.  Invite a friend and drop by to meet our community heroes and see a fire truck, police car, ambulance, and more.

Thank you to the following for volunteering their time to participate in this event:

Huron Valley Ambulance - ambulance
Milan Area Fire Department - fire truck
Milan Department of Public Works
Milan Police Department - police car
Milan Seniors for Healthy Living - bus
Monroe County Farm Bureau/Ricky and Janice Kiger - farm equipment
Red Cross, Monroe County - emergency response vehicle
UPS - UPS truck
United States Post Office, Milan - mail truck
Washtenaw County Sheriff's office - sheriff's car

Summer Fun

Are you looking for things to do this summer?  Try these ideas.

1.  Sign up for our Summer Reading Program.  Earn prizes for reading or listening to books.

2.  Attend programs at the library:  Storytime, Crafts in the Park, Hero Adventures, Hero Explorers, Touch a Truck, The Science of Superheroes, and more.  See our calendar of events here.

3.  Come to the library to hear a story by a teacher or principal from Symons Elementary on Thursday afternoons and a few other days.  See the schedule here. 

4.  Visit a museum.  Use your library card to check out free passes or discounts to select museums through the Michigan Activity Pass program. 

5.  Play outside. Check out Go Out and Play for game suggestions or The Kids' Outdoor Adventure Book : 448 Great Things to do in Nature Before You Grow Up for more ideas.  

6.  Learn a magic trick.  See these books for ideas.

7.  Create a craft project.  Try paper crafts, dinosaur crafts, American girls' crafts, origami, or browse the children's 700 section for additional ideas.

8.  Explore a state park.  Check out a pass for free entry into a state park or recreation area through the MI Big Green Gym program.  This year, passes are available through the Michigan Activity Pass website.  Search the site by zip code and then search the page of results for a state park or see a list of all locations here.

9.  Plant a garden.  Try one of these books for ideas:  Show Me How I Can Grow Things and The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids.  

10.  Visit the Hack House.  The Hack House museum is open from May to late November
Sundays from 1:00 until 4:00 P.M.

11.  Hear a concert and see a movie during Milan Parks and Recreation's free Concerts and Movies in the Park series on Thursday evenings.  See the schedule here. 

12.  Attend a program presented by Milan Parks and Recreation.  See their schedule here. 

13.  Schedule nothing to do for one day and see where the day takes you.

14.  Let your child plan the day from beginning to end.  Have fun with what he or she chooses.

15.  Try a new recipe.  See these cookbooks or ChopChop magazine for ideas. 

Need more ideas?  See this article about 101 Free Things to do with Kids in Michigan. 

What are you planning to do this summer?

Symons Teachers Read at Milan Public Library

Mr. Wright, Mr. DeSarbo, and teachers from Symons Elementary will read at our library on Thursday afternoons and before some of our library's events thorughout the summer.  Teachers will choose books with their third through fifth grade students in mind and Mr. DeSarbo will choose with his kindergarten through second grade students in mind, but everyone (regardless of age and school attended) is welcome to attend. 

Registration is NOT required to attend these events.  

If you are attending Crafts in the Park, Hero Explorers, or Hero Adventures immediately following the teachers reading, please register for those programs here.

Teachers will read at the following times:
Ms. Nichols - Thursday, June 18 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. Fleming - Wednesday, June 24 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wilson Park pavilion (Crafts in the Park follows at 10:30 and 11:45)
Mr. Wright - Thursday, June 25 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. DeSarbo - Monday, June 29 at 3:30 P.M. in the Senior Center (Hero Adventures follows at 4:00)
Senora Chris - Thursday, July 2 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. Adams - Tuesday, July 7 at 6:15 P.M. in the library (Hero Explorers follows at 6:45)
Ms. Blacklock - Thursday, July 9 at 3:30 P.M. in the Senior Center (Hero Explorers follows at 4:00)
Ms. Kerns - Wednesday, July 15 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wilson Park pavilion (Crafts in the Park follows at 10:30)
Ms. Farmer - Thursday, July 16 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. Reeves - Thursday, July 23 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Ms. Brobst-Walsh - Thursday, July 30 at 3:30 P.M. in the Senior Center (Hero Explorers follows at 4:00)
Ms. Smith - Wednesday, August 5 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wilson Park pavilion (Crafts in the Park follows at 10:30)
Ms. Stafford - Thursday, August 6 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Ms. Reeves - Thursday, August 13 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Ms. Lawver - Thursday, August 20 at 2:00 P.M. in the library

Mrs. Nichols read Roger the Jolly Pirate and sang The Ballad of Jolly Roger.

Mrs. Nichols read Roger the Jolly Pirate and sang the Ballad of Jolly  Roger.

Mr. Fleming read Penny Lee and Her TV and poetry by Shel Silverstein in Wilson Park.

Mr. Wright read The Library Lion in the LIBRARY while sitting on the LION on the jungle carpet!

Summer Reading Program begins tomorrow

Our Summer Reading Program begins tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10.  Stop by the library to pick up a reading log and earn prizes for reading or listening to books.

Register (either online or at the library) before noon next Friday, June 19 for a chance to win a free Summer Reading t-shirt.

See more information about our Summer Reading Program here.  

We hope to see you in the library this summer!

Summer Reading T-shirts

Due to demand, we are placing another order for Summer Reading t-shirts.  See additional information and order here before noon on Wednesday, June 3 if you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt.