On June 5, Green Cove Springs Lodge used an Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to promote the Green Cove Springs Public Library’s opening of the summer children’s program. This was the lodge’s third year of promoting this program. The event’s purpose was to encourage children to sign up for the special library programs for children of all ages.
There were 119 children accompanied by 49 adults in attendance and 25 volunteers. After registering, each child went through the following stations: registration for summer programs, a book station where they received a free age-specific book, an ice cream station, a craft station, a balloon toy maker’s station, a face-painting station and a corn hole game area.
Green Cove Springs Lodge members Karen Pitts, Willie Pitts and Joe Boyd give out age-specific books to each attendee at the opening of the local library’s summer children’s program.
Green Cove Springs Library began their MeeperBot Training Program using MeeperBot robots provided by Green Cove Springs Lodge through ENF Beacon Grant matching funds from the Florida State Elks Association. The first training session included building Lego block tops for the robotic platforms, instruction on controlling the platforms with Kindle Fires and driving their bots down a table to knock down bowling pins. The next sessions included learning to program the platforms to perform different tasks automatically. Librarian and lodge member, Jennifer Parker, was the main instructor of the 26 attendees while parents and siblings observed.
An attendee drives her MeeperBot down the course using a Kindle Fire to control it at a Green Cove Springs Library class. The robots were provided by Green Cove Springs Lodge.