The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
“Making” was the theme March 10 as the township library hosted Franklin’s contribution to the statewide Makers Day event.
Makers Day is a “statewide event that celebrates and promotes maker culture, as well as the values associated with making, tinkering and STEM-based learning,” according to the event’s schedule.
Makers Day events were held at both the main library in the municipal complex on DeMott Lane, and at the Franklin Park branch on Route 27.
At the main branch, projects ranged from a demonstration of bobbin lace to making toys for cats and dogs at the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, to robotics demonstrations.
The robotics demonstrations were presented by members of the robotics teams from Central Jersey College Prep and Thomas Edison EnergySmart charter schools.
Members of Girl Scout Troop 60631 were on hand to help children make get-well cards for sick children in area hospitals.
There was also an area where children could make quilts for women at a local shelter.
Several non-profit organizations were also represented, with the hope that would inspire youths to volunteer, said Joan Serpico, the library’s outreach and reference librarian.
“We’re happy with how people seem to be reacting to it,” she said. “They’re coming and they’re staying for a long time and they’re smiling, so we’re thrilled.”
“We wanted to have kids and families have fun,” she said. “We wanted to give an opportunity to highlight some of the nonprofits in the area and show people how they cold help them out. It’s a great opportunity for teens to be mentors and teachers and leaders and we were hoping to offer that, as well as making technology a little more accessible for people who may not understand it or may not be able to play with it.”
“This was a time to do it, and it takes some of the mystery out of it and makes it a little more fun,” Serpico said.
