Montclair Public Library to Host Summer Reading Celebration

From Montclair Public Library Foundation:

Area residents of all ages have been exercising their minds and bodies all summer long with Montclair Public Library (MPL) as part of its annual Summer Reading campaign. On Saturday, Aug. 20, the community is invited to celebrate with a full day of events at Edgemont Park.

"The health and fitness themes of this year have been incredibly helpful in promoting active lifestyles and health literacy," said Chelsea Dodd, information services supervisor. "Of all of the summer reading initiatives in which I have participated, this one has been the most fun."

The 2016 Summer Reading program was planned and funded in conjunction with The Montclair Public Library Foundation, who was awarded a grant from The Partners For Health Foundation in support of the project. The grant, which aims at promoting reading and exercising opportunities that are both inspiring and fun, provides children, teens and adults the opportunity to read while improving physical health and fitness over the summer free of charge at the library.

“The Summer Reading Program has been a staple of Montclair Public Library for years,” said Anita Peterson, foundation manager. “The Partners for Health Foundation grant has expanded it to foster not only a love of reading but of healthy living as well. We hope these programs have inspired children and adults to continue incorporating these healthy habits into their daily lives."

The reading campaign was also supported by Watchung Booksellers, who donated gift cards for adult reading prizes; Bike & Walk Montclair, who supported the promotion of summer programming, and The New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, who leads the Roaming Readers book club walks and will assist with the Storybook Walk.

All ages are encouraged to join. The full schedule is as follows:

Yoga class, at 9 a.m., will be an hour long alignment based vinyasa practice. Remember to bring a mat and water! This is an open level class presented by Misha Hajj, yoga instructor at the YMCA of Montclair.

10:15am to 1:45pm Free, adult school department mini classes will be held from 10:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.. Registration recommended for classes.

Breaking Up with Sugar at 10:15 a.m, presented by Tina Hong, a board-certified health and wellness coach, AADP, and founder of Goodness Multiplied Living Well Programs.

Searching for Health: Reliable Online Research, at 11 a.m., will be presented by Chelsea Dodd, information services supervisor.

Living a Mindful Life, at 11:45 a.m., will be presented by Diane Lang, M.A., certified counselor, adjunct instructor of psychology, M.S.U., therapist, educator and author with expertise in multiple mental health, lifestyle and parenting needs.

Recognizing Mental Health Issues, at 12:30 p.m., will be presented by Jayme Ganey, MA, of the Mental Health Association of Essex County.

Aikido, at 1:15 p.m., will be presented by Robert Friedman, LCSW. Robert has taught at Aikido centers in Morristown and East Hanover for 14 years. He holds multiple black belt certifications from Aikido World Headquarters, Aikikai Foundation and Aikido Centers.

Storybook Walk takes place at 2 p.m. Join us for a walk around the Edgemont Park path! We’ll stop at several stations along the way to read pages from a picture book. The stations will remain up for the rest of the afternoon for families to enjoy. This program is presented in partnership with the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition.

Kids & Teens, a program centering on crafts and activities, will take place from 3-5 p.m. The mini classes will take place inside the Edgemont Park House. The yoga class, Storybook Walk and Kids & Teens activities are scheduled to take place outdoors, but may be moved inside in case of inclement weather.

Further information is available through the Montclair Public Library Foundation website.

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