Family Safety Fair! ~ June 8, 2015

A highlight of this year's Summer Reading Program was our Family Safety Fair, held on June 8 from 6:00-7:30 PM on the library grounds.  Major funding for this program was provided by a grant received from the Bellevue Police Community Foundation.
We estimate at least 175 people of all ages attended the event.

Capitalizing on our Summer Reading Program theme, “Every Hero Has a Story”, we planned this event to feature some of the heroes within our community who work to ensure our safety and well-being.  We focused on safety issues that directly affect children and young families, offering activities and displays that would be educational and memorable.  The event was open to the general public although our main focus was on children and young families.


Our special guest presenters included:

Sgt. Larry Lampman and Officer Matt Hoffman, Bellevue Police Department 
Brian Koontz, Bellevue Fire Department
Roger Cox, National Night Out
Kyle Gravlin, KETV Meteorologist
Jane Husz, Safe Kids Coordinator, Sarpy/Cass Department of Health and Wellness
Jim DiMauro, Emergency Response Program Specialist, Sarpy/Cass Department of Health and Wellness 

Also helping to make this event a success were:
* teen volunteers from Junior Friends of the Bellevue Public Library
* members of the Bellevue/Offutt Kiwanis Club
* residents and staff of Sheltering Tree
* Bellevue Library staff
* members of the Bellevue community.

McDonald's (Galvin Road) provided orange drink as well as drinking cups and the use of a large drink dispenser.  Runza (Galvin Road) provided the "dessert" for our hot dog meal, donating freshly-baked chocolate chips cookies for our guests.  We thank these businesses and their managers for their generous support of this program!

During the 90-minute program, guests visited the check-in table to get their Safety Passport, received a few instructions, and reserved their spot for the free hot dog supper. Guests were then invited to move about the library lawn, stop at the safety stations, visit with each presenter, pick up freebies and safety literature, and play games designed to help reinforce specific safety tips and rules.


The safety topics covered at the event included:
Weather Safety
Fire Safety
Home Safety
Poison Safety
Stranger Danger
Bike Safety/Concussion Prevention
Pet Safety
Water Safety
Emergency Preparedness

In addition, attendees were invited to be measured for a free bike helmet (76 helmets were given away!) and were given the opportunity to learn more about hosting a National Night Out party for their neighbors. As an incentive to sign up as a first-time host of a National Night Out neighborhood party, a Hosting Kit (folding quad chairs, tablecloths, plates, napkins, cups, games, etc.) was awarded to a lucky winner.
Finally, we offered an inflatable obstacle course which was a popular activity throughout the event!!

My grateful thanks to everyone who helped in ways large and small to make this event such a success!

A few of our terrific Junior Friends (teen volunteers) felt it was important to 

test out the obstacle course, "for safety purposes", before our guests arrived!

Omaha Gives 2015: Thank You!!

The Bellevue Library and Bellevue Library Foundation extend their gratitude to all who contributed to the Foundation during the OmahaGives24 nonprofit fund-raising event and the "I Love My Library" raffle (winners in the raffle were notified as of June 1). Our thanks to: Antiques on Franklin; Bedouin Star Dance Company; the Bellevue East High School AFJROTC members and Lt. Donna Brown; Bob's Gym; Charkay Salon; Chick-fil-A; Dairy Queen; Drizzles Bakery; Erwin's Jewelers; the Fab 3 band members; Famous Dave's Barbeque; Fin-Tastic Fish; Hairmasters; Hiland Dairy; JoAnn's Fabrics & Crafts; Mama Kelly's; Mangelsen's; Marathon Ventures; Mary Peterson (and Paws dog Cooper); Merchandise It Up; Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant; Nebraska Parrot Rescue; No Body's Perfect; Omaha Bee Club; Phyllis Bonds (and Paws dog Brody);  Rachel Bielstein; Runza (Galvin Road); Skate City; Victoria Edwards, Pampered Chef consultant; Village Inn; and Westlake Ace Hardware. Here is a short video of the Library expressing our "thanks" for all our business and community support.

Looking back at...Seussathon 2015!

The Bellevue Public Library's 12th Annual Seussathon was held on Monday, March 2, 2015. Despite seeing some 5-day forecasts calling for snow, we had a beautiful, unseasonably warm, snowless day for our event. 

I hope the photos below will give readers a glimpse of what went on at Seussathon 2015.  It is good to remember that the photos were taken over a 12-hour period as families came and went throughout the day.  The one photo I wish I had, (but did not take!) was of the room AFTER the library closed at 9 PM.  Anyone who has ever had over 500 people come through their house in one day will have some idea what I'm talking about!  Yes...we had a record-SHATTERING attendance of 517!

I am extremely appreciative of our wonderful business sponsors who so generously support children's programs at the library.  Their contributions allow us to host events such as Seussathon which draw people of all ages to the library!

And now... presented in an order that was determined by the number of letters in the businesses' names (because that seems like a very Seussian thing to do!), we give a Tip of the Hat to our business sponsors:

As always, there is a bit of work to be done before our guests arrive!  Furniture, on loan from ACE Rent-to-Own, was arranged into several seating areas. Additional tables and kid-friendly chairs were used, as well as our large oval Kiwanis Club rug, lots of Seuss decorations, puzzles, games, the flannel board, a wading pool and a plethora of stuffed animals.

Our Cat Cafe, the place for our guests to sit while enjoying a snack, was set up at the west end of the room.  

"Snack, Snack. Eat a snack.

Eat a snack with Brown and Black."

  From “Hop on Pop”

Also near the entrance was The Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell Baby Play Area where little ones could crawl and play without being underfoot.

“Conrad Cornelius o’Donald o’Dell,

My very young friend who is learning to spell.”

         from “On Beyond Zebra”

The room is all set up and ready for visitors!

Mayor Rita Sanders stopped by to read a story aloud.

City Councilwoman Carol Blood also shared a story with our guests.

If you participated in Seussathon 2015, hopefully these photos will serve as a memory for you and your family.  If you did NOT attend Seussathon 2015, please mark your calendar... 

I'll wait while you get your calendar...

Ok, got your calendar?  Mark your calendar and plan to join us for our 13th Annual Seussathon on Tuesday, March 1, 2016!

    ~ Mrs. B.