June Events at the Monroe Lending Library

The Monroe Lending Library has a busy summer full of activities planned for all ages. Here is a look at some of what you and your children can participate in.

June 2nd - 30th: The library's Annual Reading Contest will take place on these dates and the top three readers will get the chance to ride in the Fourth of July parade, as well as receiving other prizes. All books read must be from the Monroe Lending Library.

June 4th: From 7:00 - 9:00 PM, the library's Quarter Auction will take place at the Mount Pleasant Retirement Village Activity Building. All proceeds go to the Monroe Lending Library Building and Operation fun.

June 12th: The Children's Library will take place at 11:00 AM. The story will be Where the Wild Things Are and children will have the opportunity to make Father's Day cards.

June 16th: Adults are invited to take part in the Needlecraft Group. It meets at 7:00 PM

June 19th: This week's Children's Library will take place at 11:00 AM and the story will be Stinky Cheese Man and the Other Fairly Stupid Stories.

June 26th: Tweens age 9-12 are invited to attend Tween Time at the library. This will take place on the 26th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tweens will have the opportunity to play games, puzzles, creative arts, and have book discussions.

June 28th: On Monday, the 28th, the Adult Library Book Review Group will meet and the book to be discussed is Sarah's Key by Tiana de Rosnay.

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Summer Fire Safety Tips

It's that time of year again. Memorial Day weekend, a time when families begin spending more time outside camping, grilling and having a good time. But each year, 10,000 Americans are injured in incidents involving fireworks and 5,000 are injured in grill fires. In 2009, in Ohio alone 19 people died and 207 people were injured in fires during the summer months.

And with that in mind, the Division of State Fire Marshal has released some information to help people prepare for fire safety this summer in case of an emergency. Interim State Fire Marshal, Donald Cooper, issued the following statement, "Summertime should be a time for fun and making happy memories with vacations, reunions and picnics. Taking a few simple precautions, knowing fire safety tips and following instructions will help everyone enjoy a safe summer."

So, how can you ensure a safe summer for yourself and your family? First of all, remember that the only fireworks that can legally be discharged in the sate are trick and novelty devices that smoke, sparkle, snap, and snake. Children should never handle fireworks and any adult in charge of handling the fireworks should be familiar with the different types and understand the hazards. Reading the instructions is an absolute must.

When it comes to sparklers, light only one at a time and hold it away from your body. Sparkler wires can burn up to 1800 degrees and will remain hot after burnout. They should be placed in a bucket of water. If someone is burned, hold the wound under cold water for a few minutes and if necessary seek medical help.

When it comes to building campfires, it's important to build them away from dry areas of grass and leaves where they can easily spread. Also, keep them away from overhanging trees. Keep your campfires small and keep water and a shove around for dousing or putting out a fire when you're finished. Never leave your campfire unattended. If you're in a park, make sure you know the official park rules for extinguishing campfires.

One of the most popular summer activities is grilling, which makes grilling safety a top priority. Before getting started make sure the connection between the gas tank and fuel line is okay and never overfill your gas tank. Never wear lose clothing around a grill and be careful when using lighter fluid. If your fire is already burning don't add more lighter fluid. Keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children and teach your children that in the event they do spot either of those items, they should report it to a trusted adult immediately. Also, make sure your kids know how to "stop, drop, and roll," as well as call 911 in the event of an emergency.

When it comes to charcoal make sure you douse hot coals with water when you're finished cooking and never place them in a container made of plastic, paper, or wood. Grilling in an enclosed area is something you should never do because of the production of carbon monoxide.

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Free Boat Safety Inspections Offered

The new boating season has begun and the Ohio government is urging you to be safe while having a good time this summer. One way you can do that is by taking advantage of the free vessel safety inspections being offered by the Ohio Department of National Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft and its boating partners.

These inspections, which are free to the public, help increase safety awareness. Watercraft officers will provide the written inspections so that boat-owners may make any necessary or recommended improvements. Many Ohio residents will be getting their boats out soon, to take advantage of warmer weather and a new boating season, and keeping their boating trips safe should be at the top of their priority list.

Inspections usually look at things such as fire extinguishers, horns, navigational lights, and distress signals, and life jackets and life vests, which according to Ohio.gov must be, "in good condition and readily accessible to all boat occupants."

For more information about boating rules, safety equipment and any other boating questions you might have, check out www.ohiodnr.gov/watercraft.

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Infamous Peacocks Still on the Loose

The elusive pair of peacocks were first spotted on the morning of April 5 in the middle of the road at Bypass Ohio 4 and Hamilton-Mason Road. Since then the peacocks have been creating traffic hazards in the area with dozens of calls reporting that the birds have been darting in and out of traffic. Police have issued an alert about a pair of peacocks and the city of Fairfield animal control continues to look in vain for the pair.

Most recently an Ohio state trooper spotted the bird near the rest stop on Interstate 75 near the Monroe exit but, true to form, the peacock was able to evade capture once again. It isn't clear exactly where the peacocks came from, but authorities advise if you happen to spot one of these birds to be sure to call your local police station.

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Monroe High School's New Vocal Group, "Between the Lines"

Monroe High School has a new "pop-a cappella" group and their name is "Between the Lines" or "BLT." The group is made up mostly of kids who will be seniors next years. They rehearse each day, after school, from 2:45 - 4:45 PM and will be singing at high school events and events in the Monroe Community.

The group is being directed by Mark Jauss who, according to Main Street Monroe, says he is exciting about direction because the music is fun to perform and the group "has the potential to energize the entire Monroe choral program." BTL is made up of twenty students, however three of them will graduate this spring.

The singers are:

• Kaitlynn Nall (Soprano)
• Katya Hernandez (Soprano)
• Hannah Robertson (Soprano)
• Ellen Short (Soprano)
• Gayle Bryan (Soprano)
• Hannah Robbins (Alto)
• Nikki Larkin (Alto)
• Corinne Minor (Alto)
• Emily Hoover (Alto)
• Rachel Hoover (Alto)
• Jeff Mack (Tenor)
• Jay Miller (Tenor)
• Saxon Hall (Tenor)
• Eric Stone (Tenor)
• Troy Patrick (Tenor)
• Michael Luciano (Bass)
• Joshua Barrett (Bass)
• Brian Fiscus (Bass)
• Taylor Young (Bass)
• Matthew Kakaris (Vocal Percussionist)
  

The group's first performance will be the closing act at the Monroe High School Choir Concert, on Tuesday, May 18. It will take place in the school's auditorium at 7:00 PM. They will perform Lionel Richie's "You Are," which was arranged specifically for the group by a member of Wright State's "Fight Club," an all male a cappella group started by Jauss.

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Monroe Residents Help Nashville Flood Victims

Earlier this year, much of the Nashville, Tennessee area was flooded after nearly 20 inches of rain over the course of two days, resulting in property damage throughout the area and even the loss of several lives. According to Mayor Karl Dean, damages throughout the area will so far cost around $1.5 billion, and those numbers are expected to climb. People from all over the country are offering whatever they can do to help the devastated area and that includes the people of Monroe.

Next weekend, on Sunday May 15, the Monroe Hornets Football Team, together with the First Baptist Church of Monroe youth will be collecting clothes, shoes, etc., for flood victims. The event will last from noon to 3:00 PM.

There are two drop-off locations in the community. The first one is at Monroe High School and the other is at the First Baptist Church of Monroe. Football team members and members of the First Baptist Church and First Baptist Cur ch youth will be on hand to take any and all donations.

In addition to clothing items, monetary donations are also welcome to help pay for shipping the items to the Nashville flood victims. All checks must be made payable to the First Baptist Church of Monroe. For more information, check out Faith, Football, and the Flood.

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