The book, which focuses on the timely national issues of immigration and refugee resettlement, offers an opportunity to build community and knowledge via a shared reading experience.
This is the third summer the library has organized a community read around an important issue. This year’s kicked off on May 30. The library has planned several events, jointly offered by Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, which relate to themes found in the book. All events will be held at Centerville Library on Spring Valley Road:
• "God Grew Tired of Us: A Documentary" – June 19, 6:30 p.m. National Geographic's stunning film tracks the lives of three refugees from Sudan as they leave their homeland and start their lives over again in the United States;
• Refugee 101 – June 22, 6:30 p.m. Gain a broad overview of the refugee resettlement process; and
• Local Refugee Stories – June 29, 6:30 p.m. Hear first-hand accounts of the refugee experience from those who have been resettled in the Dayton area.
For more information on Washington-Centerville Public Library, the Community Read or Summer Reading Programs, visit wclibrary.info.
WRITING CAMP
The second community literary event just wrapped up on June 16 — Write On Dayton, a four-day writing camp held at the Miami Valley School in Centerville. The camp was held for fifth- and sixth-graders with an interest in poetry who attend the Miami Valley School, Horizon Academy and Ruskin Elementary School.
Students, says Tekeia Howard, the Directory of Community Purpose for the Miami Valley School, worked on reading and responding to poetry, writing and performing their own poetry, developing a writer’s notebook, and more.
“An added benefit is bringing together students from a variety of educational settings — a private school, a charter school, and a public school,” says Tekeia. “They get to experience creativity and writing with new students from beyond their immediate community.”
Tekeia says plans are in the works for future camps that also bring together students from various schools and focus on other academic areas.
An affirming outcome of the experience is creating and publishing an anthology of their work. David Braughler, president of Braughler Books LLC, volunteers to visit the camp and step the students through the process of creating a book. His company produces and publishes the anthology of student work at the end of the camp.
"It's an honor to be part of this program," says Braughler. Learn more about Braughler Books at www.braughlerbooks.com.
UPCOMING LITERARY EVENTS
• Sunday, June 18, 2:30 p.m., Wright Memorial Public Library, 1776 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood — Writers' Café, a casual hang out for writers ages 18 and up and of all experience levels, meets the first Friday (7 p.m.) and third Sunday (at 2:30) of each month.
• Monday, June 19, 6-9 p.m., Fifth Street Brewpub, 1600 E. 5th St., Dayton — "Lift a Pint to Support Antioch Writers' Workshop at University of Dayton!" Board members and staffers from the workshop will be on hand as guest bartenders to help raise funds for the workshop. Learn more about the brew pub at www.fifthstreetbrewpub.coop.
• Tuesday, June 20, 7 p.m., Wright Memorial Public Library, 1776 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood — Wright Library Poets meet in the library's conference room to share work and hone craft; beginners are welcome. For more information contact Elizabeth Schmidt, schmidt@wrightlibrary.org, or call 294-7171.
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