Libraries Hold Scavenger Hunt

It’s summer. Kids are out of school, and the temperatures are climbing. Luckily, the and libraries have a summer program that offers families activities and chance for a cold treat.

A scavenger hunt is being held by the Ledyard libraries. It is geared toward families with children, and any who wish to participate can register for free at either library. There, they can pick up a passport booklet, which will list the activities. Families who complete 15 out of the 17 activities and return their passports will receive a coupon for free ice cream. The scavenger hunt began on June 20, and ends on August 27.

The scavenger hunt is the creation of Nancy Brewer, Ledyard’s children’s librarian. “We wanted something fun the families of Ledyard to do in response to the 175th anniversary,” Brewer said. “We wanted something for families to do. The other program (the passports) was more geared for adults.”

Fortunately, Gale Bradbury, the library director, recalled a scavenger hunt that Brewer had done for a reading program five years ago. Brewer then adapted the old game for this year.

“A lot of the basic things were already ready,” Brewer said. The main task in updating it was to go to every place on the passport, making sure all the activities were still practical, and getting permission. “That took a while, but kind of the basic bones are already the same,” she said. Most of the activities are the same.

The activities in the passport will lead families around Ledyard and Gales Ferry. Some can be completed at the libraries themselves. Others bring participants to Ledyard’s historic landmarks, such as the or the site of the ferry that gave Gales Ferry its name. Still more require stops at local parks and beaches, and even Town Hall.

The tasks are as varied as the locations. In some places, families must read information on signs. In others, they will count parking spaces. Other activities simply call for picnicking or building sandcastles. One even asks children to go to any of Ledyard’s graveyards and make a chalk rubbing of a gravestone.

For those families who complete at least 15 activities, the libraries have a special treat. “They will get a coupon for their kids, just (for kids ages) 2-16,” Brewer said. The coupons are good for a free ice-cream cone at .

The ice creams were purchased by Friends of the Ledyard Libraries. “We gave (Cows and Cones) a check to cover 100 cones,” Brewer said. The libraries will purchase more coupons if necessary, and hope to find new sponsors to help.