SOUTH FORK— A lending library was placed on Wednesday, July 19 at Rickel Park in South Fork as part of a community service project by a local camp for children. The library was built by camp Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and filled with both adult and children books by the camp’s participants. Camp Director Tammy Worle and her husband helped set up the new library and let the children fill it full of books before sending them off to play in the park.
“We do this every year and we usually pick some kind of community service project for the kids to complete during the week before they go home. Last year we donated items to La Puente in Alamosa, stayed and had lunch and the kids got to take a tour of the facility and learn about what they do for the community. This year, we thought that the park needed a lending library, so that’s what we decided to do,” said Worle.
According to Worle, “This is the sixth year we have had the camp. It started as a family camp and a chance for our family and close friends to send their kids up to South Fork for a week to enjoy the outdoors. We have had a blast doing it and hope to continue.” Worle and her husband are full-time residents of South Fork and have enjoyed sharing the area with family and friends.
During their time at the camp, the children choose and go by camp names like Rosebud, Bacon, Ladybug and other crazy and inventive names. Each day a child is chosen as camp leader, who gets to carry the camp’s flag throughout the day, choose what meal will be cooked for dinner and what activity they get to do after their daily outing. Even the adults who help with the camp pick names and participate in the events.
The week is full of fun, as the children venture out to enjoy everything South Fork and surrounding areas have to offer. The children go on rafting adventures, visit the Creede Repertory Theatre and get to do crafts throughout the day. “It is just an old-fashioned camp. They come down for a week without parents, put away the cell phones and enjoy being outside. South Fork is the perfect place to do just that,” said Worle.
The lending library is registered on the national lending library website, which lists all of the lending libraries available. “We wanted to promote children reading and give the adults something to do while their kids played at the park. This is a take one, leave one program that the kids will look after,” finished Worle.
Worle stated that the camp also does a winter version, when the children come up to ski and do other winter-based activities. Throughout the week the children work on a play and award ceremony to put on for their parents, when they come to pick them up. All of the participating children are from the Denver area and look forward to the camp every year. Be sure to stop by and see the lending library, but don’t forget to leave a book!