DOWNEY - Normally a quiet place, the Downey City Library was jumping on Feb. 20 when the Gypsy Johnson Auxiliary of the Assistance League of Downey held its annual Story Time Festival.The event was free for children and designed to inspire a love of reading. Children listened to stories and picked out free books, stickers and posters. Members of the Assisteens Auxiliary painted the faces of children. Senior Assisteens Haley Guerra, Karen Trejo and Lauren McCaughan, who have each volunteered at the event for four years, said they try to paint anything a child requests, even complicated designs like Spiderman. The children were also treated to puppet shows performed by auxiliary members D'Arcy McCleod, Martha Sodetani and Connie Wetzstein. "The library is always happy to work with other community organizations who promote reading in the community," said Julia Butler, a Downey librarian. "The library's purpose is to bring in families." Event organizers called the festival "a big success" and said many applications were turned in for library cards.

********** Published: February 26, 2010 - Volume 8 - Issue 45