Photos by TERRI WATTS

The Desert Duck Race has become a staple of Harney County Library’s annual Summer Block Party. During the race, firefighters spray a line of rubber ducks with a hose, propelling them forward. 

On Aug. 3, Harney County Library celebrated the end of its Summer Reading program by hosting its annual Summer Block Party. The fun-filled event featured a dance party, pool-noodle mini golf, food carts, a used book sale, a raffle, the Desert Duck Race, and a variety of other activities for kids and families.

The Block Party was the perfect end to the eight-week Summer Reading program, which ran from June to July. During the program, participating youth were divided into four age categories and encouraged to read as much as possible. Prizes were awarded to participants who turned in the most reading minutes each week. There were also random prize drawings.

The top-three winners of each age group are as follows:

0-4 years old
First: Rune Newkirk, 1,890 minutes
Second: Luna Meyers, 1,170 minutes
Third: Aiden Earl and Amelia Hussey, 990 minutes

5-7 years old
First: Elliot Denarski, 4,650 minutes
Second: Dominic Garo, 4,560 minutes
Third: Ruby Hussey, 1,980 minutes

8-10 years old
First: Morgana Newkird, 16,470 minutes
Second: Matilda Garo, 11,580 minutes
Third: Lilly Marshall, 8,640 minutes

11-18 years old
First: Kimora Kelly, 5,250 minutes
Second: Margie Adamson and Annabelle Laiosa, 3,600 minutes
Third: Etta Davies, 3,240 minutes

The Summer Reading Program also featured weekly presentations and performances. Held each Wednesday, these events were geared toward elementary-age children, but open to all. Between 63 and 97 children attended these weekly events, which involved much learning and laughing.

The Library Foundation covered some of the presenters’ and performers’ fees and traveling expenses, with additional funding from locally based businesses and nonprofits.

First, the library hosted the Traveling Lantern Theatre Company.

That fun theatrical performance was followed by an informative presentation about recycling from Rimrock Recycling.

Next, Burns Interagency Fire Zone and the Burns Fire Department provided an engaging program about fire safety.

Children’s musician Mr. Ben was up next. This delightful performance was sponsored by the Hines Shell Station.

Mr. Ben was followed by a science-filled paleontology program featuring a guest presenter from the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This presentation paired well with Oregon’s Dino Story, a traveling exhibit that offered a variety of hands-on activities. Curated by the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) and sponsored by Harney District Hospital, Oregon’s Dino Story was on display at the library for four weeks.

The library also hosted its annual Water Day, featuring a very special visit from two llamas from the Burns Llama Trailblazers. There was also a hilarious Dungeons & Dragons inspired puppet show by Dragon Theater Puppets and Princesses. Oregon Rocks! — an awesome hands-on geology program by MNCH — rounded out the entertainment. Oregon Rocks! was sponsored by the Burns Lions Club, whose generous grant also covered the cost of geology books (used as prizes for the Summer Reading winners) as well as a wonderful juggling and magic performance by Spencer Sprocket.

Tween/teen readers enjoyed four programs, including a Shrinky Dinks craft night, a paleontology evening, a hands-on science and technology workshop by Eastern Oregon University’s GoSTEM Mobile Maker Lab, and a leather craft workshop.

This summer, the library also hosted a family Summer Reading event — an astronomy program by Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory. This event was sponsored by Portland Audubon and featured refreshments and ice cream sundaes!

In addition to connecting with local groups to support youth programming, the Harney County Library youth services coordinator reached out to the Grant County Library to coordinate performances by Dragon Puppet Theater and Spencer Sprocket. The two libraries were able to share traveling costs and make these programs more affordable for all.

Harney County Library hopes to expand its collaboration with other regional libraries to help ensure that all Eastern Oregon kids and youth have access to a variety of fun and educational library-based programming every summer.