The first three locations established in the area are the Thrift Store at the Family Resource Center, the TRI Building and Hanover Park. Those three birdhouse-shaped boxes were due to the work of two May Talawanda graduates who used them as projects to complete scouting projects.
Suzannah Bretz earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for coordinating the construction of the TRI and Hanover Twp. boxes and Nick Humphrey earned his Eagle Scout award for his at the thrift store.
Both spoke at the kickoff Jan. 9 hosted by the Family Resource Center and Bretz drew laughs when she described the actual construction of her two boxes.
“Power tools and I do not mix very well,” she told the assembled supporters, explaining that her father helped with the construction. Later, she added, “I’m not left unsupervised with anything but a paintbrush.”
Despite that, a lot of work went into the project, lining up materials and coordinating the construction. She obtained donations for the project from Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Gillman’s Home Center, Lowe’s, Trimmer Hardware and Walmart. She said she contacted the Talawanda FFA chapter for help, but the school year ended last May before the work could be done and so she turned to her father for help with the construction.
She was introduced at the kickoff by Casey Woodell, sports supervisor for the Oxford Department of Parks and Recreation, who presented with a gift in appreciation for her efforts.
“It seemed like a great opportunity,” Woodell said of the Little Free Library program. “I’m thankful Suzannah wanted to get involved. There was a waiting list of projects and she wanted to be part of it.”
Humphrey was introduced by Diane Ruther-Vierling, director of the family Resource Center and she presented him with a gift of appreciation for his Eagle Scout project, which included not only the Little Free Library box but also a large box outside their doors for donation drop-off.
She said donations had always been dropped off on the porch and area around it, often with bad weather coming before they could be brought inside. The donation box keeps the area neater and protects the donations. The box is emptied three to four times a week, as a tribute to its usefulness.
Humphrey said he worked on the donation box and then asked Missy Barger, on the FRC staff, about other possible projects.
“She said they needed this thing that looked like a birdhouse,” he said. “They did not want it too big or too small.”
He built it with a clear door on it so visitors can see what it inside before opening it.
Humphrey admitted doing little reading himself outside of his school work, but Bretz said she has always been a voracious reader.
“I don’t read books unless I can get into it,” Humphrey said, adding that he wants to encourage young children to read. “(Little Free Library) helps out with kids all around.”
Bretz said she wants to spread her love of reading.
“I have always loved reading,” she said, adding that she would go to the library and take out a large stack of books and go home to read. “I’ve been a tall kid all my life and I had books stacked as high I am.”
Amy Machecko, the Talawanda district’s health and wellness coordinator, brought the idea of Little Free Library to Oxford’s Health Coordinating Committee from a country wide Asset Builder’s Network meeting. She said it was immediately embraced.
Vice Mayor Kate Rousmaniere said she was excited to be part of the kickoff program and read the mayor’s proclamation making the day Little Free Library Day in Oxford.
“It’s my first gig as vice mayor,” she said while posing with the two young people for a photo.
Bretz has been in Girl Scouts for 13 years, capped by earning her Gold Award. She graduated from Talawanda last May and is currently a freshman at Cornell University. She explained that the Girl Scout Gold Award is the equivalent of the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Award.
“Most people do not know that the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts were founded by a husband and wife,” she said.
Requirements for the Gold Award include seeking donations for materials and do not allow the girl to spend any of her own money on the project.
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