Like you, we here at Joliet Patch were shocked and saddened by the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which left 26 people dead -- 20 of them children.
So, when we heard that teachers at the Newtown, Conn., school were seeking help in creating a winter wonderland to greet students when they returned after winter break, we recognized a chance to make a difference.
We partnered with the Joliet Public Library, and we are sponsoring a two-day event that will provide the materials needed for the public to make snowflakes.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, the downtown and Black Road library branches will have a drop-in craft area set up in the children's department for making snowflakes. It will be offered again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Black Road branch. Staff will be on hand to help at both sites.
After the snowflakes are made, Patch will ship them to Newtown for the teachers to use.
“I thought this was a great program for the library to take part in because it is the season of giving and this program allows children to participate in that spirit," library Director Dianne Harmon said.
"Our logo contains a world with the slogan, 'Connecting you to the world.' We mean more than just the Internet. We want children to have things to do at the library, but more importantly we want them to go home with better understanding of the world around them."
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