Mobile library in operation | News, Sports, Jobs

Brothers Russell (left, 8th grade) and Robert Findley (6th grade) browse books at Revloc Park on June 13 as part of Central Cambria’s ride pass program. Ride passes will be available at four locations on July 17 and August 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mirror photo by Matt Churella

EBENSBURG – The Central Cambria School District’s Bookmobile will make four stops on Wednesday, July 17, to deliver free books for children to read during summer vacation.

The van will make one-hour stops at various locations in the Central Cambria School District, beginning at 10 a.m. at Colver Park. By 11 a.m., the van will be at Revloc Park before heading to Leidy Lane Park at noon and ending the day at the Ebensburg-Cambria Public Library at 1 p.m.

The children are greeted by Wendy Mikolich, the district’s social worker, AmeriCorps volunteers and high school students who read them a book about caring and kindness. The children then complete an activity before choosing free books to take home to read over the summer.

In June, children participating in the program read a book about summer and completed an activity pack with summer safety tips. Activities included coloring activities and crossword puzzles.

The books were all donated by community members, Central Cambria staff and the Ebensburg-Cambria Public Library.

Mikolich said the district came up with the idea six years ago when she was hired. The project began with boxes of books that employees drove to different locations in their personal vehicles. But the following year, the delivery truck was added, and the program has grown in popularity, she said.

In a single day, they distribute books to more than 50 children in several districts, including Blacklick Valley, Forrest Hills and Richland.

Mikolich said one of her favorite things to do is help young children “find the book” that makes their eyes light up. It’s something that’s very close to her heart, she said.

Reading is one of the best ways to keep kids busy all summer, and the more kids read, the better their test scores seem to be, Mikolich said.

LeeAnn Krumenocker, an Americorp volunteer who helped with the project this year, said literacy skills are also important for children in the years before elementary school.

“Reading is important,” she said. “We’ve noticed during COVID and over the last few years that reading has kind of fallen by the wayside, but it’s making a comeback.”

Revloc resident Valerie Findley was with her sons, sixth-grader Robert and eighth-grader Russell, when the bookmobile stopped at Revloc Park in June. She said they come to the bookmobile every summer.

“We think they have a great program,” she said. “That’s why we come here, because we like how they do story times to get the kids interested in books so they don’t stop reading.”

Russell Findley chose a book about endangered animals because he loves animals and enjoys reading. He says he enjoys spending time with his family even more.

Sophomores Nolan Gironda and Brayden Lutz earned volunteer hours by helping with the project in June.

Lutz said he was “really excited” to help the children find a book they enjoy reading.

Gironda said many of the books that interest children are stories they themselves read when they were younger.

On Aug. 14, the bookmobile will return to all four locations at the same time. Mikolich said she encourages children from other school districts to stop by, too.

“It’s open to everyone. We just go to the locations in our district,” she said.