Strawberries Are In

Fresh local strawberries have come early and from what I hear, they are delicious! I say, “from what I hear,” because my kids ate the whole quart in the back seat of my car after we picked them up! We got ours at Chipman Farm’s new shop in Raymond. Also Watkins Farms on the Naples/Casco border on Route 302 has some in.

School’s Out

The last day of school couldn’t come soon enough for my children. Now the question is what to do with them! Luckily, there are many options available. Of course you can take them strawberry picking (I like to go, too). Immediately following the last day of school, my daughter signed up for the awesome track camp held at Lake Region High School and run by coaches Mark Snow and Dana Caron. They always do a great job with the kids.

Another great program that is offered throughout is the summer meals program at the Naples Town Beach. This is the third summer for the Town Beach, beginning June 24 and ending Aug. 23. The meals are available Monday through Friday in Naples from noon to 1 p.m. In addition to the Town Beach, you can also get a meal at the corner of Sand Road and Route 302. If you are interested in volunteering for this program, contact Heather at Maine Hunger Initiative at 775-0026 or email at hzimmerman@preblestreet.org. Or maybe a musical summer is in order? The Lake Region Summer Band Program at the Lake Region Middle School is a great, free opportunity open to resident band students in grades 5 through 12. It runs from July 9 to Aug. 1, with lessons and rehearsals on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8-11 a.m. There is even bus transportation provided. Contact Paul Greenstone at paul.greenstone@lakeregionschools.org or call at 649-1850.

Or just get out and enjoy the new and improved Naples Town Beach or Causeway. Businesses are rising to the occasion offering new and fun things to do, including stand-up paddle boarding offered by Sun Sports. We have a group of people trying it out this week so I will report back on how we did! Most importantly, as busy as the summer gets, take time to stop and really take it all in, plan family activities, and enjoy this very short season.

Creative Ways to End Bullying

A few weeks back, Songo Locks School was fortunate enough to experience the Box Out Bullying Show. I sat in awe of these amazing professional performers who made the subject of bullying fun and approachable.

The attentive audience of students and teachers were offered proven bullying prevention techniques as well as how to recognize when bullying occurs. Special effects and improvisational comedy made this live and interactive performance easy to follow and memorable. I even got some feedback from my third-grade daughter who believes that a fellow student who had some bullying tendencies has been much nicer since seeing the show! Way to go Songo Locks School for seeing the need for such an assembly. The Box Out Bullying program has been building momentum for 10 years. You can check them out at www.boxoutbullying.com.

Summer at the Library

There are many exciting things going on at the Naples Public Library this summer. First and foremost, it’s air-conditioned. What better way to spend a hot summer afternoon than to lose yourself in the myriad of books and other goodies the library has to offer. Register today and join the fun of this year’s Summer Reading Program. The program will be on three levels including Dig into Reading for ages 3-10, Go Beneath the Surface for ages 11-17, and Ground Breaking Reads for ages 18 and over. Pick up the brochure of events and begin qualifying for weekly prize drawings, courtesy of our local sponsors. The library is also planning a Red Cross Blood drive on Tuesday, July 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A unique event planned is the Cooking with Lavender presentation on Wednesday, July 10, at 7 p.m. The talented Betsey Golon of Commonfolk Farm in Naples will demonstrate all the wonderful ways to use lavender. Lavender is not just for looking and smelling pretty. It can be added to salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar and even ice cream! It will add a new dimension to your cooking. Come learn from our very own master gardener and get a taste of something new by sampling some of Betsey’s creations. Each participant will take home recipes and some lavender sugar.

Or for the crafty side of you, there is the Pinterest, DIY Projects event on Wednesday, July 31, at 7 p.m. If you have ever cruised Pinterest and thought, “I wonder if that really works?,” this program is for you. There you will be able to test out a few of the many Pinterest projects posted online. Several Do-it-Yourself projects will be chosen and tested to see if the results are as fabulous as they claim. For both events, please sign up at the adult circulation desk or call 693-6841. Space is limited. A $5 fee will be collected at class to cover materials.

The Naples Public Library held its annual “Duck Drop” fundraiser on Sunday, June 16. More than 300 ducks were dropped from a height of 75 feet onto multiple targets below. Q-Team Tree Service of Naples volunteered to drop the ducks from one of their bucket trucks. Top prize was $600.