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ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- The St. Clairsville Public Library hosted its Touch a Truck event on Thursday in the parking lot behind the facility to celebrate the end of its summer reading program.
The event featured vehicles from Cumberland Trail Fire District, St. Clairsville Police Department and JB Green Team, along with refreshments and prizes.
The first responders from the police and fire departments let the children sit in the vehicles and showed them how to turn on the sirens. JB Green Team brought two recycling trucks and showed children how the trucks lift and empty recycling bins. Children also got to spray firefighters with a fire hose and explore the Belmont County Emergency Management Agency's inflatable fire safety house.
Emily Kessler, coordinator of public services at the library, said that this year's summer readers read over 1,000 books to support the Cumberland Trail Fire District. The charity Books for Band-Aids provides first aid kits that the fire department will distribute at community events. Kessler said the children have helped donate 60 first aid kits that will be donated to residents to place in their homes.
The summer readers also provided the fire department with stuffed animals that the first responders can give to frightened or injured children.
"The kiddos worked hard this summer," Kessler said.
Kessler explained that the summer readers received tickets for every book read and could choose to use those tickets to support the charity or for a chance to win prizes. The big prize for this year is a ride to school on a Cumberland Trail fire engine.
Kessler said that the summer readers also worked with the library's recycling program over the summer, provided by JB Green Team.
"The kiddos filled two recycling bins this summer," she said.
JB Green Team delivered the new recycling bin on June 5.
Kessler said that the library hosted a Touch a Truck event last year.
"Last year was our first year doing this, and it was so popular that we wanted to do it again this year," she said.
Kessler said she was grateful to the Cumberland Trail Fire District, Fire Chief Tim Hall and the St. Clairsville Police Department for bringing the event to life.
"Chief Hall does an excellent job," she said.
The last day for all summer reading tickets is Saturday with drawings for prizes taking place on Monday. The library's summer reading program ran through June and July, providing children of all ages with educational activities.
Last year the summer readers also helped out the Cumberland Trail Fire District by earning tickets through reading and supporting the district's goal to get more smoke alarms and fire extinguishers into homes in the community.
The St. Clairsville Public Library is located at 108 W. Main St. The library is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The library can be reached at 740-695-2062, online at stclibrary.org or by visiting the St. Clairsville Public Library Facebook page.