Photo Provided This is one of the crafts staff of the Barnesville Hutton Memorial Library has planned to create at an upcoming activity next week. The library has partnered with the Walton Retirement Home, an assisted and independent living facility, for an afterschool Valentine activity set for 2:45-4 p.m. Tuesday at the facility’s community room at 1254 E Main St., Barnesville.

BARNESVILLE– The Barnesville Hutton Memorial Library is helping residents celebrate Valentine’s Day through a couple upcoming, family-oriented activities.

Coming up first, the library has partnered with the Walton Retirement Home, an assisted and independent living facility, for an afterschool Valentine activity set for 2:45-4 p.m. Feb. 7 in the community room at the facility.

Brandi Little, director of the Barnesville library, said the activity is meant to bring children and seniors together for a fun afternoon. The program invites all children in grades kindergarten through sixth to participate. She said they will help one another make a Valentine’s Day craft – a paper bear holding a heart – and then enjoy a snack together.

Little said this is the first time they have held the partnership program with the facility since before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past the library would partner with the assisted/independent living facility a few times a year for a variety of events including bingo and other activities.

“It took a hiatus because of COVID but now we’ve tried to start planning something monthly there, which is really nice to see the older community and the younger kids working together,” she said.

“… Their activities coordinator (at the senior facility), she said they just love it, the residents love having the younger kids come in. It brightens their day, and the kids talk about what grade they’re in and different things.”

Little said registration is required and can be done by calling the library at 740-425-1651 or stopping in.

Another holiday program the library plans to host is a Valentine Family Night at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Library Annex, located at 611 N. Chestnut Street. Little said the program is geared toward children ages 2-8.

“That will include a story, snack and craft that they can do with their parents or grandparents, whoever brings them,” she said.

Little said she always tries to hold some kind of program for the holidays each year.

“I changed it up a little this year. Sometimes I’ve done a special story time and toddler time but we decided to combine it all in one to do a big family night,” she said, adding that 25 kids have already registered for the event.

Registration for the program is required so staff are able to acquire an accurate count of how many people will be attending.