Putnam County StoryWalks to be unveiled Nov. 20, 23

Monday, November 8, 2021

Later this month, residents and visitors of three different Putnam County communities will be able to read a picture book while taking a walk.

The Putnam County StoryWalk Project is set to unveil the Edgar and Betty Bayliff StoryWalk at the Cloverdale Community Park, the Reelsville Community StoryWalk at the Reelsville Community Center and the Roachdale Community StoryWalk at Roachdale Elementary School.

Kick-off events will be held for the unveiling of each StoryWalk. On Saturday, Nov. 20, the Edgar and Betty Bayliff StoryWalk will be unveiled at 11 a.m., followed by the Reelsville Community StoryWalk at 3 p.m. The Roachdale Community StoryWalk will be unveiled on Tuesday, Nov. 23 during the school day.

StoryWalks are a way for children and adults to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children’s book are placed in metal displays installed along an outdoor path. As they stroll down the trail, they are directed to the next page in the story.

The StoryWalk concept was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vt., and developed with the help of Rachel Senechal, formerly of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

In late 2020, the Putnam County StoryWalk Project was created as a coalition of local organizations interested in seeing StoryWalks placed throughout Putnam County. It comprises many partners, including the Putnam County Public Library, Purdue Extension-Putnam County, Putnam County Community Foundation and more.

“StoryWalks were an immediate hit with local organizations,” Marketing and Communications Director Kaitlin Tipsword said. “Once we began reaching out to other organizations, we realized that this was a project that commanded universal support throughout the community.”

The initiative has been primarily funded by the Putnam County Community Foundation. The Edgar and Betty Bayliff StoryWalk was funded by matching funds given in their memory. Taylor’s Hometown Hardware also provided an in-kind donation to the Cloverdale installation. The organization is facilitating the purchase and installation of StoryWalks throughout the county.

“The Storywalk project was one that we identified last year as something positive that we could plan and accomplish during the uncertainty of COVID,” Director Matt McClelland said. “It is wonderful to see those plans coming to fruition and the first one installed. We are very fortunate to have so many great partners in both planning and funding these installations.”

The Putnam County Public Library will trade out books seasonally so there are new stories to read throughout the year.

“Developing early literacy skills is essential to success in school and later in life,” Youth Services Manager Krista Mullinnix said. “We hope our StoryWalks instill a love of reading and create fun family memories.”

“StoryWalks are a great way to get the family active,” Purdue Extension Community Wellness Coordinator Mindy Duckett added. “The benefits of physical activity and being outdoors improves our health both physically and mentally.”

For more information or to get involved with the Putnam County StoryWalk Project, persons may contact MeClelland at director@pcpl21.org.

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