Through the glass doors of the library I saw a little boy with wind blown cheeks and a huge smile dragging a bewildered looking man.
I could only assume was his dad in from the cold. The little boy knew exactly where he was and where he needed to go and headed straight for the children’s section.
Dad still looking confused looked to me for confirmation and I assured him that his son knew what he was doing.
They then spent a happy half hour browsing together during which time there were lots of exclamations of “Dad look at this one” or “No Dad, that doesn’t go there”. It was a very special visit to witness as it reinforced to me what an important role Dad plays in a child’s life even in the small things like a visit to the library.
This Father’s Day weekend we are having our fifth annual Donuts with Dad event to celebrate the special men in our lives. For the past four years we have been holding a paper airplane contest to see which family has what it takes to win.
Competition is fierce and if you’ve ever attended you may remember the looks of utter concentration on the faces of the dads and children alike.
Construction of the planes is a fine art that requires much thought and numerous test flights, or crashes as the case may be!
The planes can either be constructed of paper or we even have wooden models that can be decorated and adapted however you would like. Throughout the morning you’ll see a constant stream of exhausted dads replenishing their energy supplies through the coffee and donuts we provide. Coffee breaks are short though as there are only two hours to perfect a masterpiece of flight that will break the record and leave them the victor.
At noon we have the ‘Grand Fly-off’ where you get one shot to launch your plane and have it soar to victory. Prizes are awarded in different categories such as the Longest Paper Airplane flight or the Longest Wooden Airplane flight. Kids and dads alike step up to the plate, waiting for just the right gust of wind to float them to the winning distance and not right into the tree!
This event is very special to me as it’s something I get to do with my family, my husband and two boys are always there helping. I love getting to see all the different families who come out and join us whether it be dad, grandpa, uncle, brother or whoever. The room is filled with laughter and camaraderie between the competitors, it truly is a family event.
So why not bring dad down to library on Saturday June 20th 10 a.m. to noon to see if he can walk away with the coveted bragging rights this year.
If you’re looking for a good Father’s Day read why not check out ‘Boy in the Moon’ by Ian Brown or for a funnier perspective ‘Sh*t My Dad Says’ by Justin Halpern. Or maybe you want to share a story with your little one you could try ‘Froggy’s Day With Dad’ by Jonathan London or ‘My Father the Dog’ by Elizabeth Bluemle, you can find these and many other reads at the Summerland Branch.
Adele Meadow is an Assistant Community Librarian at the Summerland Branch and she loves toasted coconut doughnuts.
