Celebrating our Veterans' Service and Sacrifice for our Country!

Dear Patron,

Below is a except about a program starting at the Wabash Carnegie Public Library on Veteran's Day (Nov. 11th) until Christmas. We hope you participate and I want to thank Polly Howell for spearheading this program. Thank you, Polly.


Purdue University partners with local library to recognize veterans

The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University (MFRI) is partnering with Wabash Carnegie Public Library to present Our Heroes’ Tree℠. Through this program, MFRI and Wabash Carnegie Public Library are working to honor past and present service members and create an awareness of military families currently affected by deployment.

For Indiana citizens, the public library is a community gathering place where information is found and shared. It is a place where new information and ideas increase the knowledge and awareness of community members. Partnering with libraries for Our Heroes’ Tree creates an opportunity for libraries to increase awareness within their own communities about the service and sacrifice fellow citizens have made in defense of their state and country,” said Kathy Broniarczyk, director of outreach for MFRI. “By increasing community awareness about the uniqueness of military life and service, libraries show their support and understanding of this special population.”

Our Heroes’ Tree℠ is a national program founded to recognize and honor the sacrifices of current service members, Veterans, and deceased service members. Participating libraries will display a tree featuring handmade ornaments created by community members to honor a service member. Libraries will also offer resources to help these communities provide support and generate a greater understanding of the experiences of servicemen and women and their families.

To participate in Our Heroes’ Tree℠, Wabash Carnegie Public library encourages all members of the community to simply create a handmade ornament honoring a service member from past and present wars, conflicts or peacetime operations. Bring the ornament to the library where it will be placed on the tree with other commemorative ornaments. Stories about individual service members can also be submitted and displayed in a binder near the tree. The tree will be set up on Veterans day and will be displayed throughout the holiday season.

Purdue University and libraries statewide are excited to continue this initiative in an effort to promote patriotism throughout communities. To learn more, please contact Wabash Carnegie Public Library at 563-2972.

Fall Programming and Future Programs

Fall brings mixed feelings for me. On one hand, I love the changing color of the leaves, watching the corn being harvested, and Thanksgiving. On the other side of the coin, it means winter is not far behind. It also might mean that one's activities are more of an indoor nature. So if you are looking to do or activities for your children, the Library might be the place to be. Our Fall Youth Services programs have begun and we are excited about the fun programs to held for youth of all ages. If you are interested, please check our the Library's website (http://www.wabash.lib.in.us/) and click on the links for Children's Fall Programming and Teen Fall Programming. I hope your family joins us for these outstanding programs. If you are not familiar with our book or audiovisual collection, I encourage you to check these collections out.

There are two events the library is working on to have as programs later this Fall and beginning of next year (2010). For Veteran's Day, the Library is working on a project involving a Hero's Tree to honor our veterans. We are also working on a project involving young children reading to therapy dogs. Many libraries have to type of program and is often referred to as Paws to Read. Its purpose to encourage young children to read and hopefully foster a love of reading in the child. More information about these two new programs should be coming later this Fall.

As always, please let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Best regards,

Ware W. Wimberly III, Director