Crafts and fun wrap up Whistle Stop's summer

[September 03, 2011]  EMDEN -- The Whistle Stop Library in Emden was the scene of nine themed programs this summer, hosted by volunteer librarian Ladonna Gass. The community children were invited to participate in crafts, hands-on activities and special projects that filled part of a Thursday afternoon, and offered fun ways to learn.

The next to the last Thursday was a craft day, when the kids made papier-maché planets, sun and moon representing our solar system. The last day of the summer program, "Solar System Day," gave everyone a chance to see the planets hanging in their respective order from the ceiling of the back room. Josiah, Ladonna's son, lent his telescope to the library so visitors could look at the sky and find out how to use the equipment.

Regular visitors like Braydon Rohlfs made their way to the library for the final program. After school starts, students will come by after school to study, visit with friends or discover a good book.

"My friends and I come down whenever it's open," Braydon said. "We like to hang out here. Last week one of my friends brought a great big checkerboard and we sat out under the tree, at the table, and played checkers."

Children aren't the only patrons of the Whistle Stop Library. Nancy Nannen was the postmaster at Hartsburg for 34 years. While she can keep busy on any given day, it is a nice break to go the local library and find a good book or two.

Gass is proud of the library and its history as Emden's railroad depot. She is thrilled to watch children like Alayna Miller visit to check out books, nest in the beanbags with a book or bring a parent in to show them a project.

One of the library's prized possessions is a railroad lamp donated by a Bloomington man, John Schrader, who was the last person from the area to work at the depot before it was shuttered in the 1960s. Train and railroad items, toys, pictures, and other memorabilia decorate every room.

The library is open every Thursday, 2 to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving. Next summer there will be more crafts, new things to do and always plenty of books for everyone's reading pleasure.

[By MARLA BLAIR]