Submitted by Donna Digennaro, Clermont Historical Society
Read to Sydney, the Kiwanis Club of Clermont and the Clermont Historical Society are pleased to announce they will be joining forces in July and August in an ongoing effort to encourage children to read more. Reading can open the door to so many interesting places and adventures and it is always great fun to share that with someone special. Sydney may not be with us any longer, but his good buddy Toby is, and he just loves it when children read to him.
Toby and his friend Thom will be at the Historic Village, 490 West Avenue in Clermont, on Saturday, July 17th, Sunday, July 25th and Sunday, August 15th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Boys and girls who come on those days will not only get to read to Toby but thanks to the wonderful support of the Kiwanis Club, they will also be given a book to take home with them. In addition, they will have the opportunity to tour all the buildings at the Historic Village and participate in a scavenger hunt.
The Historic Village is home to many buildings that have played an important role in the history of Clermont. They include the home of the first African American family to settle here, a replica of the city’s first one-room schoolhouse, the original Cooper Memorial Library, a World War II Quonset hut, an early 20th century railroad station and more. Read to Sydney will be held in a different location each time: the library, the railroad station, and the Quonset hut. Come on July 17th to see which building will be first.
If you are interested in the history of Clermont or in history in general, why not consider joining the Clermont Historical Society? Membership is just $25.00 per person or $35.00 for a couple annually. The Historical Society holds monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month. The board meeting (open to the public) begins at 6:00 PM and is followed by a presentation at 7:00 PM. Our next full meeting will be held on September 13th in the Depot. You can also see lots of pictures and information about the Village on our Facebook page and on our new website at www.clermonthistoricvillage.org. For questions or further information please call 352-242-7734.
