Who are they? Young Readers Special Guests

Young Readers is one of our drop in programs and it is run by special guests. These volunteers give their time and talents to share stories with our guests. We love them and wanted you to get a chance to get to know them better, so we sent them all an interview!

Our first guest in December is Carole Gajdosik. Carole is new to Virginia, having grown up in New York City before moving upstate where she lived for more than 30 years. She has a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education, which she put to use teaching and eventually owning a private pre-school called The Sunshine School. Through her teaching, she became interested in children's literature, especially telling stories through using a flannel board. She says, "I very much enjoy seeing children become engaged in the wonderful fairy tales that have been entertaining children for generations." Her favorite story is Snow White and she also enjoys books about World War II Europe, British novels, and mysteries. She has fond memories of her grandmother reading to her from Grimm's Fairy Tales and she still enjoys love stories with happy endings!
Carole's next visit will be December 1 at 1:00.


Our second Young Readers guest is Trish Reed. Here's what she has to share.

I am Trish Reed, the Ready To Learn Coordinator for WHTJ, Charlottesville's Local Hometown PBS.  I taught kindergarten for thirty-three years in Richmond City and Chesterfield County.  During that time, the best part of the day was story time!  It was always fun to share an adventure, to laugh with funny characters, and to learn from a story.  Among of my favorite memories are reading a few chapters of a book each day and having the children plead to keep reading...even when it was time to go home!!  Some of my favorite chapter books to read to young children are Charlotte's Web, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Boxcar Children.  My favorite picture book is The Little Engine That Could. 

Trish's next visit will be December 13th at 10:30. 

Last but certainly not least, new this month, we are welcoming award-winning storyteller Anthony Burcher.  Anthony learned to appreciate storytelling form his father, who was a mechanic in York County, Virginia. Anthony says, "All his customers would get their car fixed, pay my dad and hear a story." Those are still his favorite stories, though he reads anything and everything he finds interesting. Anthony says that he likes telling stories to children because "children still love their imaginations and are much better at putting themselves into a story." He now lives at Makemie Wood Camp and Conference Center near Williamsburg, Virginia, where he enjoys spending time with his children, who aren't children anymore. He has two new books out, 101 Games that Teach Storytelling Skills  and A Very Virginia Christmas, a collection of stories that he contributed to. Find out more about Anthony at www.anthonyburcher.com.

 Anthony will be here on December 20th at 10:30

Holiday News (already?)

Yes, the holidays are just around the corner! Next week, we will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday,  November 21 and 22, for Thanksgiving. Through the holiday season, we will be closed on December 24 and 25, then again on January 1. We are open on New Year's Eve, December 31, so come on down to enjoy First Night as we stay open until 8pm.

In the meantime, sign ups have already begun for our annual favorite, Holiday Houses! Turn one of our pre-assembled houses into a winter wonderland with marshmallows, peppermints, jellybeans, and more! Use your imagination to create your own crafty candyland scene. Kick start your holiday season with a festive day at the museum December 8th or 15th. We will have Holiday Houses sessions at 10:30 and 2:30 both weekends, but space is limited, so call 977-1025 to register today. We will provide the houses and all the candy and icing you need to decorate for just $10 for members and $13 for non-members. We hope you'll join us for this sweet tradition!

We also have our Salvation Army Angel Tree up near the front entrance. If your family would like to sponsor a local child for Christmas this year, stop by and choose an Angel! This can be a fun and educational experience for kids as they spend some time thinking about others like them who may not have as much this holiday season.

Sundays?

As you probably know, at the beginning of October, we changed our hours. You may have seen our new signs, which say Monday-Saturday, 10-5, Sundays available for rental. Have you ever wondered what that means?

On Sundays, the museum is closed to the public. However, you can rent the space and have the whole museum to yourself to enjoy with your friends and family! The museum is a great space for a kid's birthday party and has also made for a fun graduation party, but the options are endless. A party at the Discovery Museum could bring out the kid in the honoree at retirement party or offer entertainment for all ages at a family reunion. Where else do you get to see teenage brothers playing trains together?

For Sunday rental, the rates are $100 per hour, with a minimum of 2 hours. There is a non-member fee of $25, and we are happy to do one of our party themes, with crafts, decorations, and activities, for an additional fee of $50. Depending on staff availability, a party can be scheduled at anytime on a Sunday.

For more information or to book a rental, call Diana at (434) 977-1025 x 9 or email her at vdmprograms@vadm.org.