Year of the Dragon event at library all month

According to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, which is why this month the Lovell Library features a dragon themed scavenger hunt.
February 10 is the new year, according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, but Danielle Henley, library page at the Lovell Library, said that the scavenger hunt kicked off February 1. Each month, a different member of the librarian staff arranges a fun event for the month, and this month was Henley’s turn.
Henley said it is Chinese tradition to celebrate the new year with red envelopes because of the story of Sui.
“The story behind it is that it keeps this demon, named Sui, at bay from their families and their children. And if they get these red envelopes, they tuck them in, and in the red envelopes there is money,” she said. “These red envelopes are exchanged with everybody that helps keep this demon away for the year, and it’s part of their good fortune.”
This month, red tickets are hidden around the library, and if a resident finds one, they can bring the ticket up to the front desk to get a prize, Henley said. Residents can participate in the scavenger hunt once a week, with a different prize pool for children and adults.
The library is also decorated with a red dragon theme to celebrate Chinese New Year. Henley said she was born in a year that was also the year of the dragon, and the year of the dragon is supposed to bring opportunities for personal growth, professional success and social impact, according to a Chinese horoscope.
The scavenger hunt will conclude at the end of the month. Other events offered at the library this month include preschool story time, family history, adult bingo, book club and TCT tech help.
In the month of January, the turnout for preschool story time was consistent, Henley said, with around 10 to 15 kids turning out. The warmer weather has helped more parents with little kids turn out, she said.
“Because of the date and time, most of the older kids are in school. So it’s a great option that’s free in the community for people all around the county to come and enjoy and spend some time with their kid,” Henley said.
Preschool story time is offered every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. for any parent or guardian with young kids. The first story time of the month featured the story “Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool,” by James and Kimberly Dean.
Local resident Garnet Jolley read the story to the kids. After the story, Jolley played guitar and sang with the kids. The event wrapped up with a paper heart craft, where kids put tissue paper on a pink page that said, “I love you to pieces!”
Ashley Hodges and her daughter Charity Hodges both attended the story time with their young children. Ashley said she invited her daughter to the event since her granddaughter is now a toddler. It was Charity’s first time at the story time with her 1-year-old daughter Isla.
“Now that (my daughter) is old enough to actually pay attention and listen and interact, I thought it would be kind of fun to get her out,” Charity said.
Ashley said that she is used to parenting and taking care of little kids does not intimidate her.
“I’m second generation, like I started over. So for me, half my kids are out of the house. So my perspective on it is a lot different now than it was when I had my older kids when they were little. So to me, I’m trying to just enjoy it more,” she said. “I’m not so much in the trenches. I see that it goes by so fast.”
Isla is Charity’s first child, and she said it has been hard at times being a new mom. She said it is nice to have an event she can go to with family. Ashley said it is “really sweet” to be able to spend quality time with family.
Ashley said the story time isa great event for moms and kids in the community.