What’s recently happened?
Summer in Valparaiso means many different things to each member of the community, but for over 2,700 patrons of the library this year, summer means the chance to participate in Porter County Public Library System’s (PCPLS) ongoing Summer Reading Challenge, which has been running since June 1 and ends on July 31.
“The themed Summer Reading Programs at PCPLS have been around since at least the 1980s, if not longer,” PCPLS Community Engagement Team Member Willow Cataldo said. “They've been part of our community for as long as I can remember. Each year brings a new theme and exciting grand prizes.”
This year’s theme is “Color Our World,” with the grand prizes being things such as gifts cards to Amazon, a one-year membership to the Art Institute of Chicago, and much more. People participating in the challenge, which still has open registration until the end of July for anyone who didn’t register earlier in the season, log their reading either on the Beanstack app or on a paper log which can be picked up at their local branch.
While the challenge is open to people of all ages, the most common age for participants is around 10.
“This aligns perfectly with our focus on school-age children,” Cataldo said. “The purpose of these challenges nationwide is to keep the joy of reading alive and help students maintain their reading skills during the summer break. We also see great participation from ages 0-5 and 18+, proving that Summer Reading is truly for everyone!”
With hundreds of participants, PCPLS sees an increase of check-outs, event attendance, and overall library use during the Summer Reading Challenge, which is exactly what the intent of the challenge is.
“The Summer Reading program is such a fun way to bring community members together,” Cataldo said. “It really encourages everyone to engage with their local library and enjoy reading and discovering more about what their library offers all summer long!”
What’s coming up?
As summer ramps up, so do many activities in Valparaiso. The Summer Concert Series begins on July 17 with Rockology Chicago performing at Central Park Plaza at 1 p.m. The series has many other artists performing, such as The Dirty Buoys on July 24, Main Streets on July 31, and Southtown Soul & Groove on August 7.
Summer entertainment in Valparaiso also includes two productions at Memorial Opera House. On July 11 at 7 p.m., and July 12 at 2 p.m., the Penguin Project is putting on “The Music Man Jr.” The Penguin Project is a production group that aims to provide children with developmental disabilities access to theatre. The kids performing have peer mentors who help them throughout the process of putting on the musical.
Rising freshman at Valparaiso High School (VHS) Charlee Reedy is one of these peer mentors.
“I signed up for ‘The Music Man’ because the Penguin Project is the most rewarding musical you could ever be involved in,” Reedy said. “People should come watch ‘The Music Man’ because our phenomenal cast is having so much fun making a funny, heartfelt show. It is so great watching the artists on stage find their voice and confidence.”
That’s not all that’s happening at Memorial Opera House this summer. LimeLights Youth Theater is also putting on “Oliver!” on July 25-26 at 7 p.m., and on July 27 at 2 p.m.
“We’re working our hardest to make this show the best it can be, and that will shine through to the audience,” Cast Member Deveny Barker said.
In addition to being in “The Music Man Jr.,” Reedy is also participating in “Oliver!”
“I auditioned for the show because the Memorial Opera House always puts on great shows,” Reedy said. “It has been great to have such an amazing cast and directors. We have a very talented group that is working extremely hard to make the show as incredible as it can be.”
Community member spotlight:
Joshua Sutton is the general manager of Trailyard Outpost, which is a shop for bicycles and other outdoors activities on the west side of town. He has been living in Valparaiso for 12 years, and throughout this time he’s made a mark on his community.
“I've worked on local bicycle advocacy for most of the time I've lived here. My wife, Lisa Sutton, has been a Girl Scout troop leader, a La Leche League leader, and currently helps put on local Contra Dances with the Valparaiso Old Time Dance Society,” he said.
While the Sutton family puts a lot into their community, they also get a lot out of it. Throughout their 12 years of living in Valparaiso, they have lived in the same close-knit neighborhood.
“We really enjoy being surrounded by so many friends and family in our neighborhood,” Sutton said. “Being within an easy walking distance to Jessee-Pifer Park and downtown Valparaiso is nice.”
Through his work at Trailyard Outpost, Sutton gets an up-close view of Valparaiso’s outdoor offerings. On the same property as the Trailyard Outpost are numerous biking and walking trails. While many Valparaiso residents utilize these trails and other outdoor amenities, Sutton wishes more people would take advantage of them.
“My big push lately has been trying to get folks in the Region to realize the importance of outdoor activities here,” he said. “The possibilities of hiking, running, bike riding, kayaking, fishing, snowshoeing, and XC skiing are a lot broader than most people think for our Region.“
In addition to encouraging people to spend more time outdoors, Sutton also hopes more people will try to shop locally in the Region, because it translates to stronger communities and thriving towns.
While there are a few things that Sutton wishes to improve about his community, he agrees that Valparaiso already possesses many great qualities for the people who live there.
“I think our town has learned the importance of a work and leisure balance,” Sutton said. “The more we can do to balance our work lives with outdoor activities, downtown events, and trips to the Dunes, the more enjoyable our lives can be.”
