Library can even teach you about frogs

Spring is finally here and with it comes a renewed sense of energy.

The long winter has ended, hopefully, and we are ready to sweep away all of the dead branches and matted leaves and prepare our yards for flowers and, yes, even the onslaught of dandelions.

Hoppin' around: Last Thursday, while poking around in an old willow stump behind the house, my 5-year-old grandson, William, uncovered a little toad, or maybe frog, coming out of hibernation.

In February, we had attended a wonderful program by the Dundee Township Public Library's Children's Department on "Frogs, Toads and Salamanders."

Wisconsinite Randy Korb had arrived with an assortment of these reptiles and he inspired the youngsters to learn more about them and become their protectors.

Korb is a friend of the head of our Children's Library Department, Heidi Hohman, who is somewhat of a frog expert herself and can recognize them by their song.

After a brief phone call, she was kind enough to let our "discovery" come sit on her desk for identification. Unfortunately, the three-inch brown, lumpy, newly awakened amphibian kept mum. She suggested that it be released in the forested area behind the library, far away from the dangers it might encounter from grandpa's riding lawnmower.

National Library Week: Last week was National Library Week, and this is only one example of how lucky we are to have a wonderful local library that provides so many varied programs for both children and adults.

This month alone they have done an arthritis screening, computer training for adults and Broadway musicals. At 2 and 6:30 p.m. today, staff will teach people how to search the Internet for health resources.

On April 28, they will head west to the Public Safety Center by Sleepy Hollow Road and Route 72 to do a children's storytime at 10:30 a.m. and a "Travel Safe, Travel Smart" program for adults at 7 p.m.

The Friends of the Dundee Township Library are getting ready for the Gigantic Spring Used Book Sale, which will be from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the library's meeting room at the library, 555 Barrington Ave., East Dundee.

If you are in the process of spring cleaning and want to find a good home for some of your books, you can drop them off any time this week. Or, if you are looking for new summer reading finds or books on tape and movies, come and shop for great bargains.

Relay For Life: The Dundee Area Relay For Life is almost here. This American Cancer Society sponsored event will take place the evening of May 2 in the Field House at Dundee-Crown High School.

A special invitation is extended to individuals currently surviving cancer, whether just recently diagnosed or long-term fighters of the disease. All will be honored for their courage and serve as an inspiration to others.

Each survivor will be given a chance to win two free American Airline tickets to the continental destination of their choice. Your name will be entered in a special drawing held that same night.

In addition, survivors will be given free massages throughout the evening and a Mary Kay representative will give free makeovers to all the survivor ladies.

So there you have it -- just for showing up you get a free chance to win an airline trip to that special American city you always wanted to visit. Throw in free massages, free makeovers, T-shirts, cake from Piece-a-Cake bakery and other assorted treats and you just can't help but enjoy the evening.

The opening ceremonies start at 6 p.m. May 2, with almost all events that survivors would be interested in finishing around 8 p.m.

You are more than welcome to stay for a silent auction and other events planned for later in the evening. All events are inside this spacious fieldhouse on Kings Road in Carpentersville.

For details, call Roger Ferguson at (847) 428-4914.