By Alex Friesen/Special to The News
Spring has officially sprung, and we at the Fraser Valley Regional Library could not be more excited about it!
We have a number of virtual programs and exciting contests available to our community to keep you busy this month.
First things first; are you a teen? Are you creative? Would you like the chance to win a $50-$100 gift card to Amazon, Chapters, or Indigo?
Well, then the sixth annual Teen Creativity Contest is the thing for you!
Our 6th Annual - @ReadLearnPlay Teen Imagine Contest has officially launched!
— FVRL - Fraser Valley Regional Library (@ReadLearnPlay) March 19, 2021
🤯👉 https://t.co/rCIWXW5OBw
Show us your creative writing, display your artistic skills, build a robot, write a song, loop a video! PRIZES are Amazon or Chapters/Indigo gift cards from $100 - $50. pic.twitter.com/ChpIDrPCCm
Hosted by FVRL, the sky is truly the limit with contest entries.
You can write a story, write and record a song, create a work of art, program a robot to do a dance, film and edit a video, or just about anything else you can imagine.
The name of the game is creativity, and there is no limit to what we can create when we put our minds to it.
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Previous winners have submitted things such as a short stop-motion film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, a Tesla coil machine, original poems, and some seriously impressive hairstyling techniques.
This year there are four $100 gift cards for the top winners, and eight $50 gift cards for the runner-ups.
Come into the library for inspiration and browse our vast collection of how-to books, digital resources such as Lynda.com (which provides tutorials on just about everything under the sun), or even borrow a ukulele and learn a new instrument.
The best part is, it’s all free with your FVRL card.
And if you’re not a teen, no need to worry; the library still has tons of activities and resources to get your creative juices flowing this spring.
What better thing to do on a warm, sunny day than borrow one of FVRL’s birdwatching backpacks and head out into nature. Our birdwatching backpacks contain high-quality binoculars, illustrated guides of birds in the area, and a laminated birding guide with helpful tips.
Or maybe you would rather spend your time looking at stars than looking at birds; in which case, try out our lendable telescope kits. Each kit includes a telescope, eyepieces, an introductory astronomy book, and a setup sheet.
For those who prefer to stay at home these days, we’ve got you covered too with our Take ‘N Make activity kits.
🌱 March Reading List: Garden Ready!
— FVRL - Fraser Valley Regional Library (@ReadLearnPlay) March 6, 2021
Here are some great resources to help you plan your garden! It doesn't matter if you're working with a patio or an acre, a green or black thumb, or just looking for inspiration – you can be garden ready too! https://t.co/6TlmnsTagH pic.twitter.com/XacieImMqX
Most FVRL locations offer their own unique kits – that change every month. The theme at the Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge libraries this month is Earth Day and both include activities, colouring sheets, and something to plant.
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At Pitt Meadows the kits comes with seedlings and soil to grow (and design) your very own chia pet plant.
Maple Ridge’s kit includes a package of seeds to grow your own pumpkin, courtesy of the community’s Artist in Residence.
For more information about FVRL’s programs and services, check out www.fvrl.bc.ca or contact your local library.
– Alex Friesen is a librarian at Pitt Meadows Public Library
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