Date: 3/5/2020

Title: Friendship Ark Core Members and Staff Construct Reading Igloo at Ames Public Library

We collaborated with the Ames Public Library in constructing a reading igloo in the children's area of the library and spent about five weeks partnering with ChildServe - Ames and Northridge Village in our efforts to collect empty milk jugs. We also received a carpet remnant donation from Carpet One Floor & Home - Ames for the floor of the igloo. With the help of the Lily Pad Learning Center of Ames, Eagle's Loft Early Learning Center, Ames Community Preschool Center (ACPC) as well as local community patrons we completed a final push to collect our goal of 450 milk jugs! The igloo took 384 milk jugs and a team of 21 core members and 12 staff working a total of 18 hours over three days to complete. Our core members and staff truly enjoy and appreciate all that the Ames Public Library has to offer for our programs and the community. It is a place where our core members feel safe, supported and loved through the bonds they build with staff and the community members they meet during their visits. This collaboration has brought us even closer, and we look forward to continuing to see our relationship grow. This morning, we helped host a ribbon cutting for the igloo during which our core members had the opportunity to play Don’t Break the Ice and Thin Ice, and also help the children read books and work on winter coloring and drawing activities. Creating opportunities such as this in Ames makes us truly feel a part of the community!! Thank you so much for all of your love and support!!