FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tracey Carter Telephone: (301)845-8880 Email: TCarter@FrederickCountyMD.

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WALKERSVILLE LIBRARY HOSTS MULTI-GENERATIONAL KNITTING PROGRAM Bring the whole family to the Walkersville Library to learn how to knit and to share your knitting know-how! WALKERSVILLE, MD May 15, 2012 The Walkersville Library is pleased to offer programming for the whole family at our Knit Wits! program this summer. Starting on Thursday, June 7th, Knit Wits! will be offered the first Thursday of every month at 3:45pm. Knit Wits! is open to children, tweens, teens, and their families. Its a program for mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, grandmas and grandpas! This is the first collaborative program offered by the Walkersville Librarys Children and Teen Services department. The Walkersville Library currently offers a variety of programs for children and teens and is proud to now offer programming that the whole family can enjoy together. Library Associates Adrienne Barbee and Tracey Carter will be on hand to share their knitting and crocheting know-how and to teach those who are new to the craft. Patrons who are experienced knitters can join us to share their knowledge, display their projects, and provide inspiration to young and old alike. Participants are asked to bring their own yarn and needles so they may continue working on their projects at home between Knit Wits! meetings. A limited number of yarns, needles, and hooks will be available for new knitters and crocheters to try during the program. For suggestions regarding yarns and needles for new crafters please contact the Walkersville Library at (301)845-8880. For further information about Frederick County Public Libraries and to register for Knit Wits! please visit www.fcpl.org.

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PROPOSED PROGRAM: Knit Wits! PROGRAM AUDIENCE: Knit Wits! is a multi-generational program geared towards children, tweens, teens and their families. While FCPL and the Walkersville Branch currently offer a variety of age appropriate programs for children of all ages, tweens sometimes fall into the gap and it can be difficult for tweens and their parents to determine which programs are appropriate for them. It also my hope that by offering multi-generational programming it will be easier for families with multiple children of different ages to attend. Multi-generational programming also helps to meet several of the 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents including Family Support, Other Adult Relationships, Youth as Resources, and Creative Activities among others. NEED FOR THE PROGRAM: As mentioned above in the Program Audience section, this multigenerational program will meet several of the 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents. There has also been a popular resurgence in self-sufficiency and handicrafts which this program draws on by helping to teach patrons skills to make their own gifts, accessories, items for the home, and possibly even clothing. Walkersville lacks a knitting or craft store so Knit Wits! will give those in the community who are crafty an outlet to share their projects, products, and skills. This program will also help introduce our librarians and staff to the community and help introduce us as meaningful community partners and as people who are approachable and knowledgeable about more than just books. POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Potential community partners in Frederick County could include Joanns ETC, Michaels and A.C. Moore located in Frederick, MD, as well as Two Rivers Yarns in Brunswick, MD. Local community partners from Walkersville could include the middle and high school art teachers as well as residents from the Glade Valley Nursing Home. EVENT SET-UP: Four weeks prior: - Contact potential partners for donations/coupons to provide to participants. - Contact potential community partners for volunteers or additional knitting and crochet instructors. Two weeks prior: - Send press release to the Walkersville Gazette - Provide quarter-page flyers to middle and high school art teachers to distribute to students - E-mail current Walkersville program attendees letting them know of new program - Enter event on eVanced and open registration - Ask library staff if they have yarns, needles, hooks, etc. at home that can be used during program. One week prior: - Purchase drinks and light refreshments. - Remind staff about bringing in supplies for program. - Send reminder e-mail to any attendees who have pre-registered. - Ask circ staff to let patrons know about next weeks program as theyre checking out. Day of: - Bring in tables and chairs for program - Have a wonderful time!