The Children's Living Library locatd at the Madison Public Library will be the first of its kind for any library that we know of in Alabama and possibly the country. It will feature things like a life size Scrabble board, mini-amphitheater for story time, Madison County soil history/display, veggie garden, boat dock with ship, etc. The scenes in the garden will be tied in to the library with our take on storybook themes like Charlotte's Web and Where the Wild Things Are. The garden will be free to enter and open to everyone. Lessons in sustainability and the environment, gardening, art, and music are just a few of the topics that will be taught in the garden. We have a great team of partners that are helping to host these events. Some are the Madison County Beekeepers Association, the Huntsville Botanical Garden, the Madison Gardening Club, the Madison Beautification and Tree Board, and the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Madison Sustainability Committee.
Local professional landscape architect Lori Severin with 4Site, Inc has donated the design of the garden.
A grant was received to help with educational supplies for lessons being taught in the garden so that lesson plans are ready to go for this summer’s 2010 Reading Program. The proceeds of the first annual Madison's Run Through the Roses 10k and Celebration, May 1, 2010 will also be dedicated to the project to be used for long term care and maintenance of the garden for things like mulch and fertilizer.
The fence that will surround the garden will be created at an event May 1 from 11am-1pm at the Botanical Garden called Picnic and Pickets celebrating the Library's Big Read Event. The theme chosen for this year's Big Read is “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. In honor of that, a brightly colored picket fence will be painted by families visiting the Garden that day. After completion, it will be moved to its permanent home at our library. Another great point for that day is that anyone bringing a new children's book to the Huntsville Botanical Garden will receive free admission and all the books brought in will be donated to the Madison Public Library's Children Collection!!
Our theme for the garden is "every child is a story yet to be told". This garden is an opportunity for children to learn and explore, for us to help prepare them for their future...to help them tell their stories. Each young person is our next teacher, artist, doctor, councilperson, pastor, nurse, president, engineer, etc. Their success will ultimately be our success as a community!!!
WAYS TO HELP: Items and projects within the garden are lettered and available for sponsorship. All sponsored items will get a permanent plaque affixed in the garden. Donations towards the general building of the garden are also accepted and will also receive a permanent plaque inside the garden.
The plaques can have names or names and photo images so they make great honors or memorials in addition to great advertising opportunities for local businesses or civic organizations!!!!
CONTACT:
Kristen Kulavich
krisdkul@hotmail.com
(256) 682-5117