ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606280021
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: TRACY WHITAKER
Children participating in the Radford Public Library's Summer Reading Program had an opportunity to learn the mechanics and history of hot-air ballooning last week when Dee Danner talked with them and inflated his hot-air balloon at Bisset Park.
More than 300 people attended the June 21 event featuring the Christiansburg dentist.
The reading program encourages preschoolers through rising seventh-graders to travel and explore the world through books this summer. Ginna Cropper, children's assistant, said the library expects as many as 700 participants to complete the program's requirement of reading five to 10 books this summer. Last summer, the library registered more than 600 children.
The balloon liftoff was one of the activities planned for "Choose Your Own Adventure," the slogan of the summer reading program. Activities include "Drawing Your Own Adventure" this week, visiting with animals from Mill Mountain Zoo on July 11, creating mobiles on July 18, face painting on July 25, and Wayne Taylor's Magic Puppets on Aug. 3. Also, a movie night for fourth- through eighth-graders will be scheduled in July.
At the end of the summer, children who complete the program will get to choose a new book to keep and will receive a certificate.
The library has two computers loaded with educational software and a third computer with access to the Internet. Instruction on Internet basics is available by appointment.
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB