You're invited to attend...

...our Veterans' Coffee on Friday, November 12th, from 9 to 11 a.m. 
     At a time when our country is still at war, we take this opportunity to honor and recognize our most important contributors to world peace...those who served the United States in all wars, especially the Veterans.
     It is a time marked by parades and church services and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast.
     Often a period of silence lasting two minutes is held at 11 a.m.  Some schools and businesses are closed in order to mark the occasion with special assemblies or other activities.
     We will be serving refreshments to the Veterans and their friends and family at our event.  The refeshments will provided by the Moultrie Federated Guild, the Moultrie Junior Woman's Club, the John Benning Chapter NSDAR, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, and the Friends of the MCCLS.  Flowers will be provided by the Magnolia Garden Club.
     Some of those wonderful Veterans we will be serving were interviewed this year by Beau Sherman of South Georgia Governmental Services Authority, along with members the high school's video production team Katie Moore and Matthew Lardy.  The video production teacher is Samantha Hardin. 
     The Veterans interviewed were William J. Bell (Army, Persian Gulf), Grover Reeves (Air Force, Germany), Clem Weldon (Army, Korea), Julian R. Bowles (Army, WWII), Billy Yarbrough (Army, Vietnam) and Randall Lairsey (Army, WWII).  During the program the video interviews will be shown to the public.
     Mr. Sherman will also present copies of the DVDs to Ann Glass, the chairperson of the Catherine M. Bryant Veterans History Project at MCCLS, and Jack Bridwell, the representative for the Museum of Colquitt County History.  These DVDs will be available in each location for the public to view.
     We hope you'll make plans to join us in "Celebrating our Veterans."  We'll be in the Willcoxon Auditorium.  The program begins about 9 a.m.  We'll look for you.
    

How About That Fall Weather?

Wasn't it wonderful to open the windows and let that good, cool fresh air float in? I tried to think of all the words that describe "fall" weather...things like crisp, refreshing, cool, colorful
leaves, etc.
This time of the year makes me think of apples and apple pies, pumpkins and pumpkin pies, turkeys and dressing...sounds like Thanksgiving Day things, huh? And all food, too!
It's the first of November and we've changed out the displays here at the library. But they are not all about food.
This is the month we are honoring our Veterans. This is the month when Veterans Day occurs. Did you remember that? It is always recognized on November 11th. In Canada, it's called Remembrance Day.
We have highlighted "Honoring Our Veterans" by placing things of remembrance in three glass cases in the front foyer. There are hats, caps and a helmet. There are medals and pictures and dog tags. Across the top of the cabinets are books about soldiers with stories related to them.
The library will also host its Veterans Coffee on Friday, November 13th, from 9 to 11 a.m., and we are expecting a special group of people to attend. But more about that later.
Getting out in this fall weather would be a good time to visit the library and see the displays.
The one in the main foyer is arranged to help you "Look for your blessings." And you'll find several books with that specific word in their titles.
In the bookrack beside the circulation desk, you'll find books about Thanksgiving. On the reading area table are books about turkeys, and on the table leading to the Children's Library are books about pumpkins. Oh, yes...there are some audio books included also.
Still sounds like I'm thinking about food, doesn't it?
Well. This is a good time of the year to think about food. Especially apples. And pumpkins. And turkeys.

Let's Talk About Some Positive News

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of talking about negative things. And I imagine you're tired of reading about it. So, let's talk about some positive news from the Moultrie library.
Today we have long strings of little children walking our hallway, all the way from the parking lot to the Children's Library. Miss Norma is doing her children's programs again.
I must admit I'm very impressed with these little children. They walk with their hands held together behind their backs or their first fingers pressed against their lips. They are so quiet and polite and cute! Just makes a mother's heart melt. Makes our teacher's heart melt, too! The teachers need to be commended for caring so much for their children that the children return the caring right back to them.
Another event going on today is the taping of Veterans' interviews. Beau Sherman of South Georgia Governmental Services Authority has set up two interview stations in the Willcoxon Auditorium. Sam Hardin, a teacher with video and teleconferencing at the high school, brought the two interviewers, Dustianne Hall and Becca Evers. They have a list of prepared questions they are asking the Vets.
And speaking of the Vets, we have quite a nice list to interview. Several many of you know: Jack Bridwell, Hinton Reeves, Jim Kirk, Hoyt Whelchel, Jud McLean, Walter Harrison, Howard Hall, and a few others.
The interviewing is leading up to our Veterans' Coffee on Friday, November 13th, here at the library. But you should be able to watch the interviews on cablevision's CNS before then.
We have other events this month we're preparing for also. Like the genealogy workshop, "Tracing Your Roots," and the Genealogy Study Group. And don't forget, we've started a new Friends of the Library. They'll be meeting on Monday, October 26th, at 6 p.m. in the auditorium.
If we thought summer was busy, it wasn't. Fall is going to be much busier. Just watch us!!!

Our Veterans' Coffee Was A Success

Yes, it was! So successful that our director, Melody Jenkins, said we'll plan another one for next year!
Approximately 50 people arrived around 9 a.m. to attend our "Salute to Veterans," which was held in the library's Willcoxon Auditorium on Friday, November 14.
The event began with Melody welcoming everyone and telling how the Catherine M. Bryant Veterans History Project began. She said we now have 113 notebooks that hold information on more than 15,000 veterans of all wars and conflicts. She invited everyone to watch a special video presentation and enjoy refreshments.
The next speaker, Dr. Fritzie Sheumaker, director of Alternative Education with the Colquitt County Schools, told about finding her Dad's discharge card after he passed away. She said he must have been very proud to carry that card with him in his billfold for all those years. She also thanked the REACH program students for their hard work with the interviews for the video presentation.
Then Lynn Pritchett, principal of the REACH program, told about growing up as a "Navy brat." She married her husband, who was in the Army, and now they have a son in the Coast Guard. She told how the REACH students worked on their video project, and she thanked the veterans who participated.
A nice touch to the event was when the REACH students presented DVDs to the veterans they interviewed: Hoyt Holland (Army), Johnnie Shriver (Army), and Judson Mclean (Army Air Corp/Air Force). DVDs were also presented to Jack Bridwell, representative of the Museum of Colquitt County History, for placement in the museum, and Ann Glass, Veterans History Project Chairman, for inclusion in the Project.
Thanks also went to Beau Sherman, teacher of the video project, as well as the John Benning DAR and the Moultrie McNeill Chapter UDC for their help and contributions.
After the program, the guests watched the video interviews, which were shown on a large television screen. They reminisced and laughed. It was a time of sharing old war stories by many. For others, it was a time to reflect on what our veterans have given to us all...our freedom. And they continue to do so, every day.
Our veterans' coffee was just a small way to say "thank you."