Welcoming Week Events Start Sept 1 in Sammamish
Image CaptionThrough Welcoming Week, organizations and communities bring together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.
Welcoming America is proud to lead the growing network of hosts and partners around the United States and world who strive to make their communities a more welcoming place for all.
How and where to participate in Sammamish:
September 1, 2021 4-4:30pm Virtual Storytelling event
Sammamish Children's Librarian, Miss Sara, will read the book Emily's Idea by Christine Evans and lead songs around Welcoming Week themes. Watch and view this scheduled story time live on Sammamish Library's Facebook page @SammamishLibrary.
Book description:
One girl’s idea spreading a message of love, acceptance, and togetherness across the globe Emily’s idea started small. Many beautiful ideas do. She folded, doodled, and snipped. But also, like many ideas, Emily’s small idea grew. This inspiring tale begins when a little girl decides to create a paper chain of dolls. Her idea catches on and spreads far and wide, as children around the world begin to create and share their own. Emily's Idea shows children that their ideas matter—and that they have the power to create positive changes all around them. It also teaches the joy of connecting and befriending those who may look different from ourselves but are more like us than we may think.
Sept 11-Oct 2: PopUp StoryWalk at Big Rock Park: follow park trail loop with storyboards to learn of Beatrix's adventures from Bea's Bees, written by Katherine Pryor & illustrated by Ellie Peterson
Beatrix discovers a wild bumblebee nest on her way home from school and finds herself drawn to their busy world. When her bees mysteriously disappear, Bea hatches a plan to bring them back. Can Bea inspire her school and community to save the bees? Bees provide us with valuable resources, and some types of bees are in danger of disappearing forever. But ordinary people (and kids!) can help save them. Filled with fascinating facts about bumblebees and ideas to help preserve their environment, Bea's bees encourages kids to help protect bees and other pollinators.
September 13 4-4:45pm Eli Rosenblatt Virtual Dance Party - RSVP required
Join Eli Rosenblatt as he offer a light-hearted, positive message of compassion, understanding and acceptance. This virtual dance party will include a world-music influenced vibe, audience singing and participation, and a little story-telling flavor. Please RSVP ahead of time to receive an email with the Zoom link the day of the event.
September 17 11:00 a.m. Equitable Economic Development: Embracing Opportunities for Our Region
Join Eastside For All, the cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, King County Library System, Enterprise Welcoming Group, and OneEastside for a virtual Welcoming Week event for community leaders, elected officials, business owners, nonprofit organizations, and others interested in advancing racial equity and inclusion in our local economy. This event is intended to share information and spark action within participants' circles of interest and influence. Click here to register.
ONGOING
Rangoli display outside the Sammamish Library
(Art installation outside library doors)
A few library staff are skilled in making this sand art mandala from India and have created in the past and are happy to do it again. We don't have an exact for installation date yet, but it can be on display all Welcoming Week.
Paper dolls inside the Sammamish Library
(paper doll templates available in the library)
People are welcome to take home a paper doll to decorate and bring back to add to a paper doll chain around the library to celebrate Welcoming Week.
Other Welcoming week events around the world: https://welcomingamerica.org/initiatives/welcoming-week/events
