Area readers wrap themselves around a good book

Susan Ballard presents a check to Dave Wolf, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's Wildlife Director, to cover the "adoption" of a Boa Constrictor living at the Center. The Friends of the Bay Village Library pledged to pay the snake's adoption fees for a year if summer readers met the goal of 20,000 hours of reading.

The Bay Village Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library recently reached the last chapter of an exciting summer of traveling through books with their “Read Around the World” reading game. Children, teens and adults alike were encouraged to keep the pages turning with a variety of great prizes and incentives. 

As well as earning individual prizes like Browns, Cavaliers or Indians tickets, participants worked hard to reach an overall reading goal which resulted in a collective, long-term “adoption” of the Boa Constrictor living at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center.

The Friends of the Bay Village Library had pledged to pay the snake’s adoption fees for an entire year if readers hit a target of 20,000 hours. “We’ve reached this goal in the past and we are confident our readers can do it again,” said Children’s Librarian Susan Ballard at the start of the contest.

The final page was turned on August 6, and the reading logs were tallied. Just like the huge snake they were aiming to adopt, readers slithered past the finish line and clocked in an impressive total of 20,005 reading hours – just enough to lock in the year-long adoption for their serpentine mascot.

Ms. Ballard presented a check to cover the Boa’s adoption fees to Center Wildlife Director Dave Wolf.

“We’re proud of the way the community embraces reading and supports our library and Lake Erie Nature & Science Center,” she said. “We set the reading bar high and readers of all ages responded.” Mr. Wolf commented, “What an impressive feat! We are thrilled that the readers stepped up to the challenge in support of our Boa Constrictor.”

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s Adopt-An-Animal program allows wildlife lovers to help pay for the care and feeding of the dozens of animals on exhibit and used in teaching and outreach. Adopt-An-Animal sponsorships are available for as little as $5 per month, with the Boa Constrictor fee set at $25 per month. Of course, “adopted” animals stay at the Center where anyone can visit them, free of charge, during regular Center hours, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is an independently funded nonprofit affiliate of the Cleveland Metroparks and adoption fees are just one of the ways the community helps to support the Center’s educational mission.