This year's 5H Community Read is 

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. 

 

Following his return to America after 20 years in Britain, Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.  The "AT", as it's affectionately known to thousands of hikers, offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes-and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson-it also provides endless opportunities to test his own powers of ineptitude, and to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings. 

 

The 5H Community Read engages more than 10,000 people in the magic of reading by putting a book in their hands. Our goal is to bring the five healthy towns of Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester, and Stockbridge together in dialogue on the topic of wellness, focus on the importance of getting people together, and staying active. This year's book supports the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation's Move More initiative.

 

In addition to the book, events will be offered in all five healthy towns to encourage people to get more physically active, starting with our kick off event on Saturday, September 7 from 12-2pm at the Grass Lake Heritage Day Festival. Bring your family, pick up a copy of the book, and get a free pedometer to track your steps to a healthier life.

 

Approximately 1,500 copies of A Walk in the Woods have been distributed throughout the five healthy towns of Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester, and Stockbridge. If you find a copy out in the community, we encourage you to pass it on to a friend when you've finished reading it.

 

The 5H Community Read is a partnership between the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation, the Chelsea District Library, the Dexter District Library, the Grass Lake District Library and the Capital Area District Library in Stockbridge.

 

The 5H Community Read is supported by a generous grant from the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation. To learn more about CWF, please visit www.5healthytowns.org.

 

 

Ancestry Aficionados | Join fellow family history gatherers for open research. Expert volunteers will be on hand to answer genealogy and computer questions.

  

Babytime | Introduce your baby or toddler to the wonderful world of books. We'll be singing songs, doing bouncy rhymes, learning some "baby signing", and reading along to fun board books. 

 

  

Dance Along, Sing Along | Drop-in! Dance along and sing along with Miss Beth! Move to the music! Join us for songs, dances, and musical games for children and parents to do together. For ages 2 and up, siblings welcome.

  

Reading Glasses: A Book Club | Read Good Books. Drink Good Beer. Join Chelsea District Library staff at the Chelsea Alehouse to discuss A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Reserved copies of the book are available at the Chelsea District Library Check Out Desk.