Be careful what you promise.
Especially to kids, they will hold you to it.
Mill Creek Children’s Librarian Mickey Gallagher recently ate his words. He swallowed 18 worms, a promise he made because more than 1,800 children, a record, signed up for the library summer reading program.
That’s a lot of readers, and he was happy to gulp down 18 freeze-dried meal worms normally used to feed reptiles.
Friends of the Mill Creek Library were only too happy to supply the worms, said president Chuck Kaufman.
Gallagher said he carefully added 18 worms to a loaded Jack in the Box bacon cheeseburger, so he hardly tasted the invertebrates.
“They went down just fine,” he said. “I didn’t feel sick later, but I did joke with a parent that if he saw our flag at half-staff the next week, it didn’t go too well.”
Friends of the Mill Creek Library do much more than find worms. They’ll offer a book sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 15429 Bothell-Everett Highway in Mill Creek.
You’ll find 200 cookbooks selling for $1 each and more than 1,000 teens’ and children’s books for a quarter.
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Oh those proud, beaming faces.
Thanks to their generous community, the Monroe-based Sky Valley Food Bank was able to give almost 500 stuffed backpacks to kids in need before school started this year.
Julie Morris, executive director of the food bank, said parents were in sticker shock, what with high gas and food costs, when it came time to supply kids for school.
“We were so pleased,” Morris said. “The most rewarding part is the glow of pride on the children’s faces as they walked off with packs on their backs. These kids got to start school with pride and the excitement of having brand new supplies.”
Morris said they didn’t want kids to head off to school without being ready with tablets and pencils, just like all the other kids.
“It’s greatly appreciated by the parents,” she said. “It helps the parents feel good for their children and is a great relief to them, as well.”
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A new fitness center opens today at the University of Washington’s Bothell campus.
Isn’t it wasteful to provide students with exercise equipment in hard financial times?
David Bush, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, set concerns to rest with fine, academic verbiage.
“Universities have traditionally viewed education as both an in and out of classroom learning experience,” Bush said. “Recreational activities support the learning experience by providing educational opportunities to teach students about fitness and wellness, as well as help to shape the overall sense of campus community which is so vital to producing a nurturing environment conducive to student success.”
Okey-dokey then.
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Fun Fact: Lia and Scott Stuart have remodeled Bike Works of Lake Stevens at 2010 Grade Road in Lake Stevens.
They offer rides, classes and events.
Check them out online at www.bikeworksls.com.
Or ride your bike there.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
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