April 18, 2024

Muralists to color within the lines of Gibson Memorial

By DUSTY DAVIS

A mural designed by Des Moines area artist and illustrator Zet Gold is displayed on the rear of the former Creston Area Theatre building on West Montgomery Street. Gold was selected by the Gibson Memorial Library board to install a mural in the children's area of the library, which will be funded by DECAT.

A new mural has been approved by the Gibson Memorial Library Board of Trustees. The mural will be on display inside the library, adding a bit of color and whimsy to its children’s area.

Zet Gold, a professional Des Moines area artist has been selected by Bailey Fry-Schnormeier and the board. She was selected as she’s considered a natural-born storyteller, who brings characters and ideas to life via illustrations, paintings and sculptures.

To fund the project, the board approved a partnership with DECAT (Child Welfare Decategorization Program), a state program from which a grant will be provided. The hope is that art inside the library will attract people to visit Gibson Memorial just as the outdoor murals have done around Creston.

Library ordinance

The board unanimously approved updating ordinance 2.7 referendum to have nine members on the board. The referendum will include language specifying having seven city representatives and two county representatives.

The board agreed to the number since it would allow more voices and diversity on the board, but there were concerns about how the board would keep those additional seats filled due to term limits and a shortage of people willing to serve.

“In the past, there has been trouble getting people to fill out the board,” said Ann Coulter, board president.

Spring STEM connection

Gibson Memorial held the first day of its Spring STEM connection in which 60 families, including 109 individual children from preschool to 5th grade, took home bags with reading materials and activities inside. The service will give children a head start in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, by teaching them about structure, natures and summer sports.

The participants will be asked to fill out a survey to show what they learned, if they checked out a book, what they liked about the service and suggestions for the library.

Calling all parents

The Community Partnerships for Protecting Children is funding a parent cafè event for Jun. 2, 16 and 23. The event is a chance for parents to meet new people, share parenting experiences and get ideas from other families and explore their family’s strengths and challenges in a supportive community environment. The social event will allow parents to get to know each other in the upstairs of the library while their children are being tutored downstairs.

Programs

Gibson Memorial will be hosting its social justice book club 5 p.m. Apr. 26 on Zoom. The book to be discussed is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Copies of the book may be picked up at the library to be checked out.

This month’s Zoom open coffee will be held 10 a.m. Apr. 7.

The library is continuing “What’s On Your Nightstand?,” a book club for adults that will meet 5 p.m. Apr. 8 over Zoom.

For more information, visit the library’s Facebook page, its website at creston.lib.ia.us, or call 641-782-2277.