The Taft Public Library would like to thank all the staff, volunteers, Trustees, Friends, and town departments that made the summer reading program such a success in Mendon this year. It was a busy summer highlighted by storytimes around town, bubble shows, beach concerts, balloon twisting, frisbee dogs, crazy contests, ice cream raffles, and zoo animals.  Special thanks to the Mendon Police Department and Fire Department, Southwick’s Zoo, and JJ’s Ice Cream for their participation in Read Around Town and a thank you from the library to all who helped make the 25th Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race the fun and memorable event that it was. The race day assistance of the Friends of the Taft Public Library, the Taft Library Trustees, Dan Byer and the Parks Department lifeguards and staff, and other town staff including Town Administrator Jeremy Stull, Town Clerk Ellen Agro, and the Highway and Police departments was infinitely appreciated. On a personal note, the library director would like to thank Children’s Librarian Tara Windsor for another year of determined work putting together an impressive summer reading program. She and the Taft staff (Kris Heumann, Monika Schmid, Jen O’Brien, Brenda Whitner, and Jane Blackwood) time and again approach the summer reading program with energy and enthusiasm.  The end result may look effortless, but the preparation is anything but.

Below is a recap of some Taft Summer Reading special events and contest results:

The 25th Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race

On the evening of Wednesday, July 23 over 440 people gathered at the Mendon Town Beach to witness and take part in the 25th Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race. The race was started in the late 1990’s by then Children’s Librarian Susan Bertram. Over 25 years later it has grown into the marquee event of the library’s summer. The library was honored to have Susan Bertram on hand for the 25th, recognizing her prior to the races and including her as part of the 7-person Judges Panel that determines the special awards given out at the end of the night. The library was also honored to welcome Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston SCPO Scott M. Dupre as a judge on the panel. 29 boats were entered in seven races total, nearly matching the highest number of entrants (31) in one of the first years of the contest. The seventh race was a just-for-fun contest between library personnel. Tara Windsor and Library Trustee Gaye Porciello finished first and second in that race. Library Director Andrew Jenrich and Monika Schmid’s boats both sank.  

Official winners in the speed categories were as follows:

One-Person Boat Race:

1st Place: Life of Pi (Brian Murphy) 

2nd Place: Do Not Tip (Greyson Michael) 

3rd Place: The Hopeful Puffin (Alexis Thach)

Two-Person Boat Race:

1st Place: Cardboard Cousins (Sadie Flanagan and Frances Halterman) 

2nd Place: Princess Pirates (Lilly McNaughton and Eva Golden)  

3rd Place: The Row Away Chicks (Bella Flannery and Olivia Flannery) 

Three or More Person Boat Race:

1st Place: Soggy Cookies (Mendon Girl Scout Troop #65246: Caroline Bangma, Nora Fleck, Brie Tetreault, and Madison Dorval; Rosie Holden and Cadence Chenelle, alternates) 

2nd Place: The Joseph Conrad II (Mendon/Upton Cub Scouts: Ava Horner, Emily Horner, Javier Duffy, Mark McNaughton, Bodie Gates, Hunter Gordon, Waylon Dienna, Daisy Lehberger, Hazel Moore, and Grady Gomes)

Adults Only Boat Race:

1st Place: Douglas Battle Axes (Douglas Sunshine Club with Adult Social Center: Anna Marcoux, Kathy Gleason, Pam Schwartz, and Brenda Bretz)

2nd Place: The Silver Dollar (Mendon Senior Center: Peg Nogueira, Paul Bouchard, Karen Mills, and Sandra Washburn; Kathy Hunt, alternate) 

Family Boat Race:

1st Place: We Know the Way (James Horner, Julianne Horner, Ava Horner, and Emily Horner) 

2nd Place: BumbleMcBees Sailing the Seas (Willa McBee, Laina McBee, Elisa McBee, and Jon McBee)

3rd Place: Runaway Ed (Nate Chadwick, Cora Chadwick, and Lane Chadwick)

Group Challenge Race:

(Note: This race was a challenge for charity. Winner of this race was able to donate the proceeds to the charity of their choice).

1st Place: Mendon Highway Submarine Division (Mendon Highway Department: Andrew Goyette and Justin Specht) 

2nd Place: Express Wagon (Mendon Fire Department: Moritz Schmid) 

3rd Place: Spirit of Brotherhood (Mendon Brothers of the Brush: Mark Gomes and Chad Labastie) 

Special awards were as follows:

Pride of Mendon Award (Most Creative Design): Endurance (Martin Blenkhorn and Beau Blenkhorn)

Captain’s Choice Award (Most Attractive Boat): BumbleMcBees Sailing the Seas (Willa McBee, Laina McBee, Elisa McBee, and Jon McBee)

Esprit de Corps Award (Most Spirited and Organized Team): The Joseph Conrad II (Mendon/Upton Cub Scouts: Ava Horner, Emily Horner, Javier Duffy, Mark McNaughton, Bodie Gates, Hunter Gordon, Waylon Dienna, Daisy Lehberger, Hazel Moore, and Grady Gomes)

Perseverance Award (Honors the Competitor(s) Who Never Gave Up): Princess Pirates (Lilly McNaughton and Eva Golden)  

Titanic Award (Most Spectacular Sinking): The Row Away Chicks (Bella Flannery and Olivia Flannery) 

Surprise Award (We’re Surprised It Floats): The Whale (Emily Watson and Willa Montag)

Silver Celebration Award (Best Commemorates the 25th Cardboard Boat Race): Cardboard Cousins (Sadie Flanagan and Frances Halterman)

Library Award (Best Reflects the Love of Reading): The Hopeful Puffin (Alexis Thach)

The Taft Library Worm Race

The library’s Worm Race was started back in 2008.  This year the prospect of rain forced the races indoors, but 14 competitors still took part. The top four finishers were:

1st Place: Camila Miranda and Squirmy 

2nd Place: Jaxon Pollard and Batman

3rd Place: Leo Garcia and Blanky

4th Place: Colton Mager and Sonic 2

Oreo Stacking Contest

19 competitors faced off in this year’s Oreo Stacking contest.  The high number of Oreos stacked in a single tower this year was 17 accomplished by Dorothy Black, Juliana Garcia, and Emmet Raposo during the early rounds. In the finals, the towers were tipsy and 9 stacked Oreos won the day:

First Place: Matthew Kanak

2nd Place: Wyatt Recko

The Taft Library Rubber Duck Race

Take four capped gutters filled with water, four oversized rubber ducks, and four spray bottles to propel the ducks forward, and you’re off to the races! In its second year the Taft Rubber Duck Race brought in 25 competitors to go head to head for racing glory. The top finishers were:

1st Place: Noella Antonellis

2nd Place: Cayden Dion

3rd Place: Quinn Bucchino