Library hosts pre-parade amusements
Children who might have had trouble waiting for the Butler Spirit of Christmas parade Saturday night were offered a host of activities beginning at noon at the Butler Area Public Library.
The event was in celebration of the library's 125th birthday and tied in with the parade's Storybook Christmas theme, said Lori Hinderliter, the library's executive director, who welcomed families to the library in an elf costume.
The library's pre-parade activities for children included writing a letter to Santa Claus or a deployed soldier, making Christmas ornaments, listening to Mrs. Claus read a story, making robot bookmarks with a Carnegie Science Center educator, and playing games for both younger and older children.
Each child who attended also received a free book.
Teenage volunteers from First Baptist Christian School and Butler Senior High School's National Honor Society helped tots create and play all day at the library.
Like the parade, the activities at the library were sponsored by Peoples Gas and the Butler Radio Network.
Lynda Christy of Washington Township said the library has always offered activities for children before the parade, but Saturday's event was a much bigger affair aimed at smaller children as well as teenagers.
“The library does a lot of tremendous activities for the children year-round,” Christy said.
She enjoys bringing her adult children and grandchildren into town to begin the Christmas season together. They've been doing so for about seven years.
“It's family time,” Christy said.Sherri McKibbin of Butler also brought her children to the library Saturday to participate in the holiday activities.The family made a day of it as they shopped during Butler Downtown's Small Business Saturday promotion, had some pizza for dinner and stayed for the Christmas parade at 5:30 p.m.“We've been doing this for 10 years,” McKibbin said. “It's the kickoff to the holiday season for us. The parade and library activities, and Small Business Saturday has us buying from local businesses.”She moved from California to Butler 14 years ago, so her children could grow up in a small-town atmosphere.“I've always loved that Butler does so many festivals and activities for families,” McKibbin said. “It gives us a nice, hometown feeling.”Her daughter, Jordan McKibbin, 11, decorated a small paper Christmas tree with stickers and markers to hang on her own tree at home. She couldn't decide which year from the past decade was her favorite for heading downtown with her family to attend the library's events and parade.“They've all been fun,” said Jordan.
Gabby Snyder, 10, of Butler Township, made an ornament and picked up a bookmarker and book at the library.It was her first time participating in the pre-parade activities at the library, and she appreciated that the activities were spread throughout the library.“I like it,” Gabby said of Saturday's events. “It gives you the experience of the library.”Rich Dickson of Butler is a senior at First Baptist Christian School in Butler who volunteered to help out in the library's basement, where games were set up for young children and there were word games for older children.Dickson, who donned a festive elf hat for the gig, helped children play games such as Christmas cookie toss, ring toss and balloon bounce.“We like it,” he said of volunteering at the event. “It builds character and helps you get involved with things in the community.”Hinderliter said all the parents, grandparents, children and teens who filed into the library to participate in the activities were cheerful and positive on Saturday. “It's been fantastic and a great way to kick off the holiday season,” she said. “It's also great to see the community come together.”
