Two new events piloted at the Library this month

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Taber Times

By Ian Croft

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

news@tabertimes.com

With a new month we also have a new suite of events that has been organized by the Taber Public Library with two new musical ones joining them. 

Dawn Kondas, the program coordinator at the Taber Public Library, was able once again to give the Times a rundown of what you can expect from the library this month.

“We’re starting off with a bang with Ukulele Jam,” said Kondas. “This is something that a member of the community came to us and said, ‘hey, can we do this.’ We found a day and time and we’re going to do this. We’re thinking we’re gonna have about 10 people and it’s for people who play already. It’s not lessons just to come play/learn from other people you know because it’s a whole different experience than just sitting in your basement doing it by yourself. We are going to start off with Ukulele Jams and hopefully they happen at least once a month. We are looking maybe down the road twice a month, but starting off this one anyway.”

The Ukulele Jam will be happening on March 4, and will be running from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The library also requests for you to bring your own instrument.

“The week after that is the open mic, it is just kinda of a staple for us. We get a lot of the same performers coming, but they enjoy that opportunity and so do the people in the audience. We’re going to keep that going.”

This event will be running from its normal time of 1 to 3 p.m., and will occur on Saturday, March 11.

“For our Senior Speakers Series that we do, Family Community Support Services this month, Service Canada will be here and they are going to be talking about CPP (Canada Pension Plan) and Old Age Security,” said Kondas. “From 1 to 3 (p.m.) she was going to have one-on-one sessions. You have to bring ID with you to have this meeting with her so you guys can talk about your personal account. Last month we had Revenue Canada here and it was very popular so we’re expecting this one to be just as popular. This month instead of Thursday our Trivia Night is going to be on Wednesday at the Legion.”

The Seniors Speaker Series will be held in the library at 11 a.m. on March 15 with the Trivia Night on the following evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Taber Legion on March 16.

“On St. Patrick’s Day we have two events. One, Julia is going to do a story time where the kids listen to stories and do some crafts, have a snack, and that will be fun. Then after in the evening, the family movie is ‘Wonder Park’ and it starts at 6:30. We normally supply popcorn, but people are always welcome to bring whatever snack that they would like.”

Both of these events are on Friday the 17th with the story time occurring at 11 a.m.

“We’re continuing on with our Music and Munchies that will be at noon around the fireplace and we are featuring Katie and the Wild Rags. That is a performer that will be at the upcoming Cowboy Poetry that will be later on that week. That will be interesting. It will be like a little preclude they doing there.”

You can swing down by the library on March 22 at noon to enjoy this musical event.

“We’re starting up again with Coffee with Council on the 24th, that’s a Friday, so please bring your questions if you have any questions for elected officials on that day.”

The Coffee with Council will run from 11 a.m. till noon.

“Then something new that we’re going to try at the end of the month is a Youth Open Mic,” said Kondas. “I have people ask me and actually the guy who runs the regular open mic is willing to have just youth come. Every once in a while, there is some younger performers that come to open mic, but it might be better for them to be with their peers. We’re going to try having a youth open mic and we would like kids to sign up so we can see whether or not it’s a go. Just so they know it’s not a karaoke. You have to bring your own instrument. If you’re just going to sing, have your phone, have your sheet music with you. We will try and have a guitar or a piano for accompaniment if they want it. We’ll see what happens there.”

This new event will be held on Friday, March 24 and will be starting up at 2 p.m.

“The last thing happening this month is the Eagle Spirit Nest doing a program and we don’t know right now at this time what it will be because the president is gone for a bit.”

If you’re interested in seeing what the Eagle Spirit Nest Community Association has in store you can come down to the library at 10:30 a.m. on March 25.

Additionally Kondas provided the Times with a quick highlight of some of the stuff the library has planned for next month.

“As for anything coming up in April there are two things for National Canadian Film Day, which is Friday, April 21,” said Kondas. “We are going to be showing the ‘Grand Seduction’, that’s a Canadian film, and then for Earth Day a National Film Board movie that we’re going to be showing is ‘Sovereign Soil’. I believe that’s about a family in the Yukon that has a greenhouse, and they grow vegetables and stuff year-round up there. Hoping that with Easter we’re going to be doing Nerf gun wars and probably Smash Brothers again.”