May programming offers
something for everyone   
Participants in the recent Play-Well TEKnologies program show off their creation.
There's a program for everyone at the Wallkill Public Library during the month of May.
The Vision of Wallkill placemaking workshop will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the community room of Town Hall Saturday, May 3. If you're interested in making the hamlet a better place to live, work, and visit, your input is welcome!
Rainbow Magic fans won't want to miss the book club centered around the popular series at 1 p.m. May 8. Grades 1 through 4 are invited to chat about the books, build a fairy garden to take home, and share a treat.
Snapology will visit at 4 p.m. May 13 - LEGO builders will love this fun and creative program. Registration is online here.
Volunteers interested in restoring local streamside buffer lands with trees and shrubs can learn more during the DEC-sponsored Trees for Tribs field trip at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
Comic fans ages 10-17 will have a chance to learn from a master when Ira Marcks presents Jam Comic at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24. Attendees will discover the ins and outs of comic creation from a professional illustrator, and go home with a comic of their own.
Other programs throughout the month include a special Adult Craft Time May 9, the popular Creative Writing Club May 13 and 27, the Teen Anime Club each Wednesday, and more.
Some programs have limited space and require registration, so be sure to sign up soon if you're interested!
 Coming up at the Wallkill Public Library  
Visitors from Footprints Nursery School pose during a field trip to the library Thursday morning.
Tomorrow: The area's fourth annual Clean Sweep takes place from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. See below for  more details. The cast of Books Alive! will be traveling down to New York City to see the off-Broadway show, Fluff. The bus leaves the library at 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Book Buddies meets at 10:30 a.m. Textile Tuesdays take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the community room of Town Hall.
Wednesday: Mommy and Me meets at 10 a.m., followed by Toddler Story Time at 11 a.m. The Teen Anime Club meets at 3 p.m.
Thursday: The Knit and Crochet Club meets at 6:30 p.m.
Friday: The Game Club features LEGO building and Nintendo DS gaming from 4-5 p.m.
Saturday: Vision of Wallkill holds a placemaking workshop from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the community room of Town Hall.

Story Timers, take note: Mommy and Me will be offered next week (April 30), but not in May. Book Buddies and Toddler Story Time will be on hiatus during the month of June. Registration is required for summer Story Times and will be offered in early June.
Clean Sweep volunteers welcome to help
Wallkill's fourth annual Clean Sweep program will take place from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.
Volunteers will meet at the Wallkill Public Library, pick up their bags, and get started cleaning the streets and sidewalks around the area. Kayakers and boaters are needed to lend a hand on the river.
Light refreshments will be available and there will be a lunch offered at noon at Popp's Pavilion.
In case of rain, the event will be held Sunday.
For more information, contact 256-0446 or cleansweepwallkill@yahoo.com. 
 
Program assists young job seekers
It's still a tough job market out there, and for recent high school graduates or dropouts it can be particularly brutal.
Those ages 16 to 21 who meet certain eligibility requirements may find help with Ulster County's Youth Employment Program.
The program's services include paid work experience, GED preparation, resume writing, mentoring, and much more. Participants must meet federal income guidelines and  other criteria.
For more information, call Janet Rigaux or Faith Golden at 340-3170.
Raw portrait of ties that bind (and strangle)
Family Life, by Akhil Sharma
Ajay and his family think they've found paradise when they leave their native India and immigrate to America in the late 1970s. They know that in this country, hard work and the right schooling lock in bright futures. So when Birju, Ajay's older brother, gets accepted to the prestigious Bronx High School of Science, they relax in the knowledge that at least his future is secure.
But when Birju suffers devastating injuries in a horrific accident, life changes. Birju is bedridden and in need of around-the-clock care. His heartbroken parents struggle with their hopeless situation, caring for their son as best they can while trying (and not always succeeding) to avoid being completely destroyed by their own grief.
"I am so sad," Ajay says at one point to his father.
"You're sad? I want to hang myself everyday," his father says.
Ajay himself, wrestling with the demons of teen angst in a still-foreign country while contending with his family's heartache, makes bold efforts at fitting in and just plain coping, though they don't always pan out the way he desires.
Heavily autobiographical, Akhil Sharma's Family Life is a must-read (and not as depressing as it sounds). Look for it now on the shelves of the Wallkill Public Library.
Local historic house tour coming up in May
The Wallkill Valley Land Trust will be offering their fourth annual tour from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 31.
The tour's theme will be the changing face of agriculture in Gardiner and Shawangunk. It will feature houses and farms in the Wallkill River Valley, including an 18th-century Dutch stone house and barn, several 18th-20th century Federal homes, a Greek-Revival clapboard, neo-classic public buildings, and much more. Seven of the properties being shown are on the National Register.
Those interested can register online at the Wallkill Valley Land Trust's site. Tickets are $40 or $35 for those who register by May 30. Members also receive a $5 discount. Proceeds benefit the land conservation efforts of the WVLT.
 
Quick Links