May 29, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
Children and caregivers are invited to gather at Edgar Evins State Park for a party on Saturday, June 1 for a National Trails Day Ribbon Cutting on a new book for the ½ mile Hillside Storybook Trail.
This free event to be held from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. will include party favors, craft making for the children sponsored by the public libraries of DeKalb, Putnam, Smith, Cannon and the Cookeville Children’s Museum and Smithville Girl Scout Troop 3094.
Bob Tarter of Animology (formerly NHECM) will present an assortment of wild animals at 11:30 A.M.
(Last Year’s Ribbon Cutting)
The book this year will be Anybody Home?, by Marianne Berkes and illustrated by Rebeccca Dickinson. It is about Polly Possum looking for a home among the forest creatures where she can raise her expected babies.
Hotdogs, chips, lemonade and cake will be served about 12:30 P.M. The trail has large color reproductions of pages from the book on signs that are mounted at child height about every 60 yards along the trail. There will be guided and unguided hikes on the trail after the ribbon is cut . (It is on a hillside so expect some mild elevation changes.) Everything will be free unless purchased from a vendor or the on-site gift store where the book will be available.
Saturday’s Schedule:
10 A.M. – SIGN GUEST BOOK … Kids get possum ears to wear and take home (Made by GS Troop 3094)
10:30 A.M. – RIBBON CUTTING ON HILLSIDE STORYBOOK TRAIL WITH MISS TEEN BEAUTY SUPREME – IVY TRAVIS.
10:45 A.M.- OPEN TRAIL FOR ANYONE BUT THERE WILL BE GUIDES AVAILABLE A BIT LATER FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS HELP READING THE STORY SIGNS ALONG THE TRAIL OR HELPING KEEP KIDS TOGETHER – If you need a guide let Anna Bertram know so she can find one for you.
10:45 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. – CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS PRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR CANNON, DEKALB, PUTNAM AND SMITH COUNTIES … ALSO THE COOKEVILLE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AND SMITHVILLE GIRL SCOUT TROOP 3094 (Under the shade awnings)
10:45 A.M. – Ranger Lee Chadwell will present birds and an opossum or two
For more information and pictures of last year go to www.foeesp.com