friendly font, encourage children to practice letters and their sounds. The Ritter Public Library Foundation is deeply grateful to donors who have helped to fund these initiatives. The Foundation welcomes gifts of any size - more information can be found at the “Support us” tab on the library website. Save the date for October 5th: plans are underway for Octoberfest. Proceeds will fund new initiatives for the library. P 3 Ritter Public Library • Summer 2024 • ritterpubliclibrary.org Did you have a pen pal as a kid? Did you always want one? “Friends with Pens”, a new program starting this summer, aims to bring back this Friends with Pens offers overseas connection classic pasttime and forge new international friendships. Adults ages 18 and up will have the opportunity to be paired with a pen pal in Ireland! Ritter Public Library is partnering with Kilkenny County Council Library Service in County Kilkenny, Ireland to offer this program to library users. County Kilkenny, in southeastern Ireland, is known for its scenic medieval architecture and lush riverside landscape. The library service serves around 15,000 members across its 9 branches. Ready to meet your pen pal? Between July 1st and August 15th, sign up on our website or in person. We will pair you with a pen pal based on your age and interests by August 31st, and you will also receive a starter kit with supplies. Write your first letter by September 3rd and drop it off at the library to be sent to your pen pal. You can expect your return letter in a few weeks. We will continue to send and receive the letters on behalf of program participants through December 13th. Those wishing to continue corresponding will be responsible for sharing contact information and coordinating details on their own with their pen pal. We look forward to seeing the friendships that unfold from this program! Literacy continues to remain a central priority for the Ritter Public Library Foundation. In partnership with the library, the Foundation has funded multiple initiatives for youth in our community thanks to continued financial support from our donors. In March, students had the opportunity to meet Elana K. Arnold, author of A Boy Called Bat, in person. A variety of over 2,000 books have been purchased and distributed to every child in Vermilion Elementary School, as well as those attending preschools at Lakeview Baptist Church, YMCA, and the Developmental Nursery School at UCCC. Vermilion Pre-K and families attending library storytimes have also recently received books. Funds granted to the library also provided a set of decodable books. The decodable books, some of which use dyslexiaFoundation supports literacy Author Elana K. Arnold visited Vermilion Elementary School
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