Tails & Tales: Summer Reading 2021

Hawk Creek, founded in 1987, is one of the largest accredited non profit raptor centers in the East and receives no government funding. Located in East Aurora, New York, the Center houses a diverse, global collection of raptors and wildcats. The educators from Hawk Creek brought several animals to visit our summer program and to teach us about wildlife conservation. This program was sponsored by Allegany County United Way.

Taught by artist Lisa Robinson, kids were asked to create animal themed art in different styles. Sponsored by the Allegany Arts Association, these classes were part of their summer arts festival.

Students were instructed by artist Patience Wnek and shown through demonstration how to create necklaces, earrings and key ring cabochon jewelry pieces using alcohol ink and other mixed media. This program was sponsored by Friends of the Cuba Library, Inc.

Artsapalooza is an outdoor, multi-arts event for families with young children that toured neighboring communities in Western New York. The program is centered around a theater performance using larger than life puppets, put on by the resident artists of Springville Arts Center. An interactive theater workshop incorporates kids into the fun. Ukulele and drumming warm up the crowd. Drop-in visual arts stations encourage kids to make art while seeing the show. This program was funded by Friends of the Cuba Library, Sue Scott & Ann Scott, Mike & Connie Doyle, John & Annette White, Tom Taylor, Cuba Cheese Shoppe, Carol Mean, Jim & Sandra Keough, and Palmer Opera House.

Mike the dinosaur hunter shared his amazing stories and talked about his work as a field paleontologist. The presentation featured “Mr. Nixon,” an eight-foot Triceratops skull discovered by his team in 1996. An Albertosaurus skull highlighted the features of a carnivore. He hosted the “Mystery Fossil Game Show,” show & tell with rare and unusual fossils, a touch of magic and a fun science experiment. This program was sponsored by Allegany County United Way.