Raymond Village Library - recipient of Ezra Keats’ Foundation Grant By Allison Griffin, Library Director

The Raymond Village Library was selected as a recipient of a 2017 Ezra Keats’ Foundation mini-grant. The Keats’ grant provided funds to support a children’s monarch butterfly rearing and release program. 
 

In anticipation of the monarch’s arrival, children’s librarian Karen Perry and kids from the Raymond community spent a sunny afternoon this past spring planting butterfly-friendly plants in the community garden adjacent to the library. Through late August and early September, the children’s department was home to monarch caterpillars and young patrons were able to track the life cycle of the monarchs from caterpillar to butterfly stage.  

As the butterflies emerged from chrysalis, visitors to the children’s department were invited to release a total of 22 butterflies into the butterfly garden they had helped to plant and tend.  

The library is grateful to the Ezra Keats Foundation and to Linda Pankewicz and Mark’s Lawn and Garden for their expertise and assistance in selecting monarch friendly plants for the new garden, along with all of the children and parents who aided in planting, feeding and releasing the monarchs!