Check out the new Little Free Library at Patterson Farms – Salisbury Post

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Denise Heinke, head of development and public relations at Smart Start, supplies the library with books. —Karen Kistler

After the ribbon cutting, the group decided to check out some of the books on offer in the new small library. Pictured are, from left, Denise Heinke, Amy Brown, Michelle Patterson, Ike Palm, Patterson Farms employee, Jimmy Greene, Kristie Hunsucker, Patterson Farm employee, and Cinthia Rodriguez, director of finance and administration at Smart Start. – Karen Kistler

Jimmy Greene prepares to cut the ribbon on the new Little Library. He is pictured with, from left, Denise Heinke, Amy Brown, Michelle Patterson, Ike Palm and Kristie Hunsucker, Patterson Farm employees, and Cinthia Rodriguez, director of finance and administration at Smart Start. – Karen Kistler

CHINA GROVE – Thanks to the combined efforts of Smart Start Rowan, Jimmy Greene Jr. and Patterson Farms, there is another Little Free Library in the county.

The journey to get this library up and running and ready to offer books to children in the community began at the 9th annual Smart Start Rowan’s Dr. Shirley P. Ritchie Champion for Young Children Celebration held March 12th and September 25th A small ribbon cutting was held at the farm to announce that he is now ready to serve the community.

During the event in March, Greene was named the 2024 Champion and, in addition to an award, Smart Start announced they would donate a Little Free Library in his honor wherever he chooses.

The library is “a gift from Smart Start Rowan for all he has done for our community and the families we serve,” Denise Heinke, director of public relations and development, said in an email.

In deciding where to locate the library, Greene said that since he is a resident of the western area and serves as the school board representative for the western area, he wanted to go in that direction.

“We have great places all over the county,” Greene said, “but Patterson Farms has only ever been involved with youth in the past, and when they said Michelle (Patterson) might have suggested here, it was just like that.” perfect fit.

According to the website, Patterson is the farm’s treasurer and entertainment program director and is responsible for marketing and overseeing educational tours and events.

The placement for the library was a conversation Greene, Heinke and Amy Brown, executive director of Smart Start, had when he won the award, and they all agreed that the western part of the county would be a good fit since he was a member is in the West Rowan community, Brown said, and the Greene family has done a lot for the community. “Patterson Farms came to the surface because it has such great importance here in the community,” she said, “and because Michelle and her family have also been so committed to our agency.”

Brown added that Patterson is both a board member and committee member and that they have had a good partnership with the Patterson Farms team over the years.

And as for Patterson, she said they are excited about this opportunity to partner with Smart Start because we care deeply about education and the opportunity to give all children a good start.

She also pointed out that the organization has great values ​​and aims to give children a good start, which is why she enjoys working with them.

The acquisition of this library aligns with Smart Start’s vision of preparing children for school and ensuring they are healthy, Greene said. They are also big supporters of reading books and have been for many years.

“I mean, technology is wonderful,” he said, “but at the end of the day they need books in their hands, and that’s why we did this.”

It’s special for Patterson to be able to share these books with the community and work with this group.

“We are so excited to be able to share this with the people of our community and it is very special that Jimmy Greene has allowed us to publish it here,” she said.

When asked what it meant to be honored in this way, Greene quickly replied that he was a nobody, but that he was glad to be there and was glad that there were people who did what they did. and praised Bruce Shuping for his help in obtaining the honorary library installed on the farm.

“I know people who help me with everything, whether it’s family or friends, so it’s just an absolute blessing,” Greene said, “but it’s an undeserved blessing.”

Little Free Libraries is a statewide program, and there are others throughout the Rowan County community, Brown said.

These libraries are mapped, Heinke said, and their locations can be found on littlefreelibrary.com so people can find one near them.

“Jimmy’s Little Library is now mapped at Patterson Farms,” she said. So people can come in and pick up a book.

“The library is a community-based program created for families to get books for their children,” Brown said, and hopefully refresh the book they picked up with another one if they can; However, if they cannot be updated, other community members will.

“We have a great passion for reading and putting a book in a child’s hand as soon as they can sit up and hold a book,” Heinke said. “It’s very exciting for us to be able to showcase this as another part of our community,” noting that there are some in downtown Salisbury, but to be able to offer this in this part of Rowan County is “very special “.

The books can be taken away for free, Heinke said, and there is no limit. “If they want to grab ten, they might as well have ten,” noting that they would keep a check to see when more books would be needed.

Many of those books, Heinke said, came from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

They bought additional copies of “The Little Engine That Could” with some money they had on hand, Brown said. This is Dolly’s favorite book and “such a showpiece book of the program,” she said.

Other books are the result of program participants moving and no longer being home to receive them, Brown said. “The postal service keeps these for us and sends them back in boxes on a regular basis,” and they use them for programs like this.

Because Smart Start specializes in the birth to five age group, Heinke said most of the books in this library are intended for those age groups. However, if members of the community also have books they would like to publish there, “they are welcome to do so,” she said.

An avid reader, Patterson said she looks forward to sharing these books with the children when they come.

“I imagine them coming here, sitting at the tables, grabbing a book and just enjoying the stories,” she said. “We’re just thankful and grateful for this opportunity and look forward to people enjoying it.”

And to give back, Patterson said they would be donating a book of the month specifically about agriculture to Farm Bureau Ag’s Smart Start in the classroom. Along with the book, they will receive a curriculum to use in their centers, she said.

As October is upon us and pumpkins and festivals are coming to the farm, there is one more thing that families can put on their list to stop by and that is the little red library located right on the ice cream and picnic tables.

So children can have a book, and “knowing that we are just a small part of it is fantastic,” Heinke said.