Coralville Library Book Sale

Event Date: Fri, 02/01/2013 - 1:30pm - 5:30pm

BOOK SALE at the Coralville Public Library

Hundreds of newly donated books will be available February 1st and 2nd. Sale hours are 1:30-5:30 P.M. on Friday, and 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Saturday.

In our non-fiction area, shoppers will find a large selection of cookbooks, classics, travel, self help, diet & fitness, parenting, crafts, foreign language books. Check out our miscellaneous section for those gems that defy pigeon holing. Thanks to a generous donor, dozens of Sherlock Holmes volumes are on sale. Mysteries and general fiction novels—both hard and soft cover—abound. Many children’s and chapter books for upper elementary school aged as well as a selection of young adult fiction are also available.

Friday prices are $2.00 per hard cover book, $1.00 for paperbacks and $.50 for all music CD’s and movies. Saturday prices are discounted half price. Children’s books are priced the same both days at $.25 - $2.00. As always, ample FREE PARKING is available at 1401 5th Street.

The Friends continue the traditional free book offering. As books are set up Thursday evening before the sale, FREE book carts are available outside the sale area. Be patient and note that there is no access to the sale area. Free books will also be available during sale hours. The library has removed hundreds of books on tape from the collection and these are also free. Friends of the Coralville Public Library is a non-profit organization that provides volunteer and financial support to the Coralville Library. Proceeds from the book sale will be used to support the library and other literacy focused projects. (For further information regarding this press release contact Deb Gill, 384-3328.)

Iowa Activity // Outdoor Ice Skating!

Starting today this little stretch of Iowa Avenue will be turned into a winter festival that you'll never forget! The Iowa City Downtown District is holding a free ice skating party in Downtown Iowa City. The ice skating rink (you read that right, AN ICE SKATING RINK!) will be located on Iowa Avenue between Dubuque and Linn Streets.

The rink will be open Friday from 4-10PM, Saturday 10AM-10PM and Sunday 12-5PM. The ice rink will be lit for skaters at night, and the event will include vendors with food and music. You can either bring your own skates or free rentals are provided.

It looks like it's supposed to be sunny and warmer this weekend, so come out to Downtown Iowa City to eat some food and do a little ice skating

For more information, click here.

Love, 
The Literacy Committee

Santa Comes to Town - December 1st

From Melissa:

I just found out about some fun Christmas festivities going on downtown tomorrow and wanted to let you all know about it. There's free carriage rides, a visit from Santa, and lots of fun activities for kids. And parking is free, too! Can't beat that! Maybe we'll see you there!

Click here for more information.

Iowa Activity: Mormon Handcart Park

Remember this activity that Regan organized?  We have pictures!

The Mormon Handcart park is just off Mormon Trek -- click here for a map.  Thanks to Regan for organizing and to all who attended.

With love,

The Literacy Committee  

Iowa Activity: Wilson's Orchard

Mary and her family headed to Wilson's Orchard.  Mary says:

We went to the apple orchard! Well... I'm sad to say that there were hardly any apples and by hardly I mean there was one... literally only one, in the whole orchard!  Apparently they had a rough season and not many apples came of it.  We were pretty content with our tiny little apple though, and I am happy to report that we saw tons and Tons of deer!!!! 

A link to the Wilson's Orchard can be found here.  Here are some fun events they are planning (that do not involve apples!):

October 13-14:  Pumpkin Festival
October 20-21:  Games Weekend
October 27-28:  Trick-or-Treat

Thanks to Mary for sharing with us!

Love, 

The Literacy Committee

Iowa Activity Ideas: Oktoberfest(s)

Who knew that we could find not one, but TWO, Oktoberfest celebrations near Iowa City? 

The Amana Colonies will celebrate Oktoberfest from September 28th - September 30th.  For more information and a schedule of events, click here.

The Northside Oktoberfest in Iowa City will be on October 5th & 6th.  For more information and a schedule of events, click here.

With love,

The Literacy Committee

Iowa Activity Idea: Mount Vernon, IA

Rachel H. is one of the Iowa natives in our ward -- she shared this fun information about her hometown, Mt. Vernon:

Mt. Vernon, the town I grew up in, is about a half hour from Iowa city and it has some fun little things to do. This Saturday they have the Old Lincoln Highway arts festival all day. On October 13th they have a chili cook off. And the first Thursday in December they do "magical night" for Christmas. There is a live nativity and pictures with Santa and whatnot- its great for families. They have a lot of great festivals in the summer, like Chalk the Walk and the Chocolate Walk, but that's a ways off.

Anyway its a cute town with a beautiful college campus. There is a nice Frisbee golf course on campus and there is a solar system through town that you can walk along. The planets are separated by distances proportional to real life. 

Click here to access the Mt. Vernon calendar of events.  And just to recap:

September 22nd (tomorrow!!):  Lincoln Highway Arts Festival 
October 13th: Chili Cook-Off 
October 20th:  Great Pumpkin 5k -- more information here.
December:  Magical Night

Thanks to Rachel for letting us know about all of these fun things!  Have a wonderful Friday!

Sending our love,

The Literacy Committee
 

Iowa Activity: Fry fest, September 7th

Rachel and her husband were able to go to Fry Fest this year. She was generous enough to let us share a little bit about the concert and even a few photos. It looks like a great concert and that they had a fabulous time.

Rachel: A week or so ago was the annual Fry fest ("a celebration of all that is Hawkeye"). Brennan currently works as an intern for the City of Coralville and since they sort of host it, they had him working at the festival all day instead of the office. I think Brennan was perfectly fine with the change of pace. And I was perfectly fine with the concert tickets that came with it. :) 

The evening didn't get off to the greatest start when I headed down to Coralville. I was just meeting Brennan there after his work day. But President Obama was also visiting Iowa City that day so traffic was backed up since they had the freeway blocked for him. That meant I got to walk a long way to the concert. A very long way. I was already running late so this was extra frustrating to me. But I made it! And I even remembered to bring a jacket for Brennan so he could cover up the pink Fry Fest t-shirt he was tired of being seen in-haha. The performers were Lee Brice and Sarah Evans. I don't know their music very well but they both have a couple of songs that I like. We ended up hanging out backstage for the whole concert. All-in-all, it was an evening we got to spend together, away from the house, without a baby, without spending money, listening to good music, and enjoying beautiful weather. So it was great!

Brennan and Lee Brice. During lunch they handed out "meet and greet" passes to the people in Brennan's office. This is the picture they put on Lee Brice's website. Brennan loves the pink shirt. :)

Thanks for sharing Rachel! And for those of us who missed it, it looks like a fun event we can look forward to next year. Have a great rest of the week!

The Literacy Committee

p.s. don't forget there are only 10 days left in the month of September. Make sure to enter your goals in the sidebar of the blog!

Iowa Activity Idea -- Lake Macbride

Lake Macbride is located just a few miles north of the Iowa City/Coralville area. If you haven't visited before, this would be a great place to spend a few hours with your family or invite friends along to make a day of it. The State Park offers picnic shelters, camping, trails, swimming, boating and fishing.

Lake Macbride State Park: here
Lake Macbride Boat Rental Information: here
University of Iowa Outdoor Rental Center: here

For Labor Day a few families got together and rented canoes.

Larkin: Our afternoon at Lake Macbride was fabulous -- it is a beautiful area with lots to do! I tried canoeing for the first time and it was WAY out of my comfort zone (water and I do not get along). Once my anxiety subsided, it was a really fun and relaxing way to spend the afternoon. Cody & I will definitely be going back next summer. 

In addition to canoes, you can also rent pedal boats, pontoon boats, and kayaks for reasonable prices. There is a fun little swimming area and beach near the boat rental shop. I am sure the area will be just lovely in the fall when the leaves start turning colors -- there are so many fun walking & biking trails around the lake to enjoy. 

Abbey: I love canoeing, its such a fun thing to do with my husband. The lake is beautiful and its a good workout too. :) 

Hayley: Have you checked out Lake McBride? We have fallen in love with this litte lake! You can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, and party pontoons. We spent Labor Day cruising around the lake by canoe, enjoyed a picnic and had fun playing at the beach. Unfortunately boat rentals are closed until Memorial Day but add this to your list of "Future Fun Things to Do" for next summer!

Thanks for sharing; Larkin, Abbey, Hayley and Melissa!

Love, The Literacy Committee

Iowa Activities: Int'l Writing Program Events

This year the International Writing Program's Fall Residency is welcoming 31 writers from 28 countries around the world. They're not just novelists, poets, playwrights, translators, and filmmakers...they are book publishers, recorded musicians, film editors, slam poets, librettists, playwrights, human rights workers, BBC journalists, and art curators. 

The IWP is providing over 100 free public events that will allow you to meet this fascinating group of residents. These include readings, panel discussions, film screenings, and Global Express, which features actors performing the writers' work on stage.

Want to know more? Check out these links online:

-- Biographies of the 2012 residents: here
-- Calendar of events: here
-- UI Arts Iowa calendar: here
-- Blog: here
-- Twitter page: here
-- Facebook page: here
-- The UI Master Calendar of Events: here

Thanks to the Elder's Quorum for passing along this information!

The Literacy Committee

Iowa Activity Idea -- FRY fest

The 4th Annual FRY fest will take place FRYday, September 7, 2012, and will recognize and celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the renewal of the Iowa vs. Iowa State football rivalry, the day before the Hawkeyes take on the Cyclones in Kinnick Stadium. FRY fest is a one day celebration to kick-off the Hawkeye athletic seasons the Friday before the first home football game.

Location: Iowa River Landing in Coralville (Coralville Marriott Hotel)
For more information visit the Fry fest website here.

2012 Schedule of Events

FRYday, September 7, 2012

• 9:00am – 2:00pm
  FRY fest Blood Drive, by the UI DeGowin Blood Center. “I Bleed Black & Gold” T-shirts for all successful donors! Sign up in advance here.
• 9:00am – 3:00pm
  FRY fest Car Show, presented by Carousel Nissan
• 10:00am – 8:00pm
  FRY fest World’s Largest Hawkeye Tradeshow
• 10:00am – 11:30pm
  Autograph session for Frank Fritz from The HISTORY Channel’s American Pickers
• 10:00am – 1:00pm
  Hawkeye Collector’s Showcase(closes at 1:00pm and reopens at 4:00pm
• 11:00am – 7:00pm
  Tailgate Row (Food Vendors)
• 11:30am – 12:30pm
  Presentation by Frank Fritz from American Pickers inside the Hawkeye Collector’s Showcase
• 12:00pm – 1:30pm
  Autograph Session with former Hawkeyes Rob Houghtlin, Rob Thein, and Matt Hughes, and former Cyclones Thomas Buck and John Quinn
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm
  Inside Stories of the Iowa vs. Iowa State Rivalry Panel Discussion on the Tigerhawk Stage with former Hawkeyes Larry Station, Chuck Long, John Harty, Rob Houghtlin, Matt Hughes, Rob Thein, Derek Pagel, Warren Holloway, Mike Humpal, and Andy Brodell, and former Cyclones Thomas Buck, John Quinn, Bret Meyer, and Bret Culbertson. The panel discussion will be facilitated by former Iowa Sports Information Director Phil Haddy
• 3:00pm – 4:30pm
  Autograph Session with former Hawkeyes John Harty, Derek Pagel, Warren Holloway, Mike Humpal, Matt Kroul, and Andy Brodell, and former Cyclones, Bret Meyer, and Bret Culbertson
• 4:00pm – 6:00pm
  UI Women’s Gymnastics Demonstrations inside the tradeshow
• 4:00pm – 7:00pm
  Hawkeye Collector’s Showcase
• 4:00pm – 8:00pm
  FRY fest Small FRY Zone, located at Diamond Dreams
• 5:00pm
  Beverage garden and concert grounds opens
• 5:00pm
  The Last Ride on the Pep Rally stage (not ticketed)
• 6:00pm
  FRY fest Pep Rally, presented by the Iowa City Area Association of REALTORS® with honorary guest Coach Hayden Fry
• 7:00pm
  FRY fest Concert – Lee Brice
• 8:30pm
  FRY fest Concert- Sara Evans, presented by Two Rivers Bank & Trust

Czech Village, Cedar Rapids

Here is another great Iowa Activity idea that isn't too far from home. Hannah visited the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids and was gracious enough to share a little about her visit and even a few photos.

From Hannah: I can tell you right now that the Czech Museum was fantastic. They had a really cool exhibit with Alfonz Mucha's artwork. (He has his own style named after him.) It's a very beautiful and interesting story. They also had legit traditional clothing. Embroidery Galore! I could never come close to making clothing so beautiful. But anyways the Czech Museum and Library were the highlight of the trip. 

"Cedar Rapids is a city that is home to thousands of Czech, Moravian and Slovak immigrants and their descendants since the turn of the Century. Many more Czechs homesteaded and settled the farms and small towns surrounding Cedar Rapids. The Czech Village is a restored section of what was the shopping district for many of those immigrants. Czechoslovakians, known as Bohemians, have made lasting contributions to the Cedar Rapids community. Czechs began arriving in 1852 to work in local packing plants, and soon a "Little Bohemia" was established in the southwest sector of the city, now known as Czech Village."

National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library, click here.
Address: 1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids IA
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10am - 5pm.

For more information about the Czech Village (including a map!), click here.


Thanks for sharing Hannah! - and Happy Labor Day,

The Literacy Committee

Bike Adventures Around the Lily Lake -- Amana, IA

Looking for a fun Labor Day weekend activity?  Click here for information about a fun bike ride in the Amana Colonies around Lily Lake (which is gorgeous!!). 

Bike tours are offered every day, except Sunday, at 4 pm and last for 2 hours.  All equipment is provided.

If you are out and about enjoying Iowa City -- or the surrounding area -- during this long weekend, snap a few pictures and send them to us.  We would love to see and share the fun things you are doing!  Don't forget to count any fun excursions as a completed goal.

With love,

The Literacy Committee

Taste of Iowa City

Tonight is the Taste of Iowa City in downtown Iowa City (shocking location, right?) from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm.  If you haven't been before, this is a must-do! Here is a quick description of the event from the Downtown Iowa City website:

"The 5th Annual Taste celebrates the culinary diversity of Downtown and Northside restaurants and rewards the Iowa City community with sample portions from more than 40 menus! Food tickets for Taste of Iowa City are available on the 22nd at multiple ticket tents throughout the Downtown District.  Participating restaurants include: Bo James, the Brown Bottle, Coldstone Creamery, Bread Garden Market, Oasis Falafel, Donnelly's, Graze, Mondo's Saloon, Givanni's, Joseph's, Basta, the Airliner, Takanami, Z'Marik's, Formosa, Capanna Coffee, Mesa Pizza, Which Wich, Yotopia, Molly's Cupcakes, Pizza on Dubuque, Atlas, Linn Street Cafe, Panchero's, Share, Quinton's, Mama's Deli, the Pit, Cured Deli, Hamburg Inn, El Bandito's, Sports Column, Orange Leaf, Devotay, Masala, Wake Up Iowa City, Cheba Hut, One Twenty Six -- and more to come!"

Last year, each ticket could be purchased for $1 and the participating restaurants charged 1-3 tickets per food item.  Most food items were a sample size or just a tad bigger.  This is a great way to try most of the downtown restaurants without breaking the bank.

For more information, you can visit the Downtown Iowa City website (http://downtowniowacity.com/pages/upcoming-events.php) or the Iowa City Downtown District Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iowa-City-Downtown-District/162397490473408). 

Be sure to count this towards your monthly goal tally if you go & remember to report your progress -- even though we are technically still in August :)   

Love,

The Literacy Committee