Greene CATS is a county public transit system operated by the Greene County Transit Board providing safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation in close coordination with the county’s social service agencies, businesses, and local decision-makers. Funding for Greene CATS Public Transit Services comes from the following sources: Federal Transit Administration, Ohio Department of Transportation, matching grants, passenger fares, and purchased service agreements with Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Greene County Department of Job and Family Services, and other agencies.
Craft
hat, gloves, scarf
Instructions
For hats, gloves, and scarves: Any size, any color is great. All sizes (adult and juvenile) and lots of variety in style and color schemes bring joy to the riders. Use yarn that is easy care.
Project Type
Crochet, knitting
Deadline
End of the month. Please drop off at any Greene County Public Library location in a clean zippered plastic bag (or something appropriate to help us keep your work clean and undamaged).
For students to succeed, they must first have the tools to thrive. Crayons to Classrooms is committed to providing those tools to at-risk children in the Greater Dayton Region, including Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Warren counties. We encourage community donations while also leveraging an extensive collection of supply chain partners to secure essential school supplies at significantly reduced costs. Then, we distribute those items at no cost to teachers in our Dayton store. This committed collaboration between business leaders, individual donors and volunteers helps to assure equal access for students in our community and fuel their love of learning.
Hats, mittens: We are in constant need of warm hats and mittens that can be made available to our teachers for their students who do not have these items. Our teachers need these items in sizes to fit pre-kindergarten students through high school students.
Project Type
Sewing, knitting, crochet
Deadline
End of the month. Please drop off at any Greene County Public Library location in a clean zippered plastic bag (or something appropriate to help us keep your work clean and undamaged).
Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton’s mission is to celebrate the lives of those we have the privilege of serving by providing superior care and superior services to each patient and family. We are a non-profit, community-based hospice.
Every dollar donated helps us provide superior care and services to patients and families in our communities. We offer services no other hospice can. We are dedicated to meeting the needs of our communities. Our shareholders are you – the members of the Miami Valley community who are the owners of Hospice of Dayton (with an office in Xenia) and Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties.
Craft
Greeting card
Instructions
Leave the inside of the card blank. Cards should be calm or cheerful in decoration. Please don’t use any sentiments. No glitter please. Include a matching envelope (in size more than color).
Project Type
Cardmaking, stamping
Deadline
End of the month. Please drop off at any Greene County Public Library location in a clean zippered plastic bag (or something appropriate to help us keep your work clean and undamaged).
The Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Support Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides case management, food, household necessities, and emergency clothing. We also offer support groups and life education skills. The Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Support Center is dedicated to empowering individuals and strengthening the community through information and support services, collaborative program planning, educational classes, and support groups.
Craft
Birthday card, hat, scarf, gloves, mittens
Instructions
Birthday cards are for children through the “Birthday Wishes” program, so cards should be child-oriented. No glitter that might fall off, please; glitter glues/gels/pens are OK. For the hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens, all sizes (juvenile or adult) and colors are welcome.
Project Type
Cardmaking, crochet, knitting
Deadline
End of the month. Please drop off at any Greene County Public Library location in a clean zippered plastic bag (or something appropriate to help us keep your work clean and undamaged).
We want to give a heartfelt congratulations to Winters-Bellbrook patron Emma Naveau who won the Southwest Ohio K-2 Read On! Ohio award through OELMA (Ohio Educational Library Media Association) back in April. Winners are picked based on a love of reading and sharing their enthusiasm for books with others, and Emma is certainly enthusiastic about reading!
Nominated by her Youth Services Librarian Abby Lionberger, Abby shared her nomination letter with us:
Though she’s only in first grade, Emma Naveau is one of the most voracious readers I have at my library. Every two weeks, she comes straight back to the youth services desk and orders herself a hearty batch of new titles to take home. Her favorites are Dog Man (of which she’s finished the entire series, multiple times – on her own!), Grumpy Monkey (a favorite to share with her dad), and The Investigators. Her current obsession is the Babysitters Club graphic novel series.
How do I know her favorites so well? Each visit she gives me a recap of her reading the last two weeks. She shares her favorites in the series she’s working on and her future plans – she’s told me she’s moved beyond Dog Man and is looking for more challenging reads, though she’ll still take me up on it if I have one to offer her. I’ve seen that I’m not the only one she loves to share her favorites with – when she ran into a dance class friend at the library, she spent the better part of ten minutes telling her about the best of the best in the world of graphic novels.
We spend her entire library visit back at the desk pouring through the library catalog to see if we have something, anything, to satiate her appetite for reading. The problem is, she’s read almost everything our library system has to offer! I’ve been working on expanding my graphic novel collection in the last year, largely because I couldn’t keep up with her reading! When I read about this award through the Ohio Library Council’s newsletter, I knew that there was no better choice for my branch than our resident Graphic Novel Devourer, Emma Naveau.
Congratulations, Emma! Keep being awesome & keep reading! 😃🏆📚🎉
Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton’s mission is to celebrate the lives of those we have the privilege of serving by providing superior care and superior services to each patient and family. We are a non-profit, community-based hospice.
Every dollar donated helps us provide superior care and services to patients and families in our communities. We offer services no other hospice can. We are dedicated to meeting the needs of our communities. Our shareholders are you – the members of the Miami Valley community who are the owners of Hospice of Dayton (with an office in Xenia) and Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties.
Craft
Greeting card
Instructions
Leave the inside of the card blank. Cards should be calm or cheerful in decoration. Please don’t use any sentiments. No glitter please. Include a matching envelope (in size more than color).
Project Type
Cardmaking, stamping
Deadline
End of the month. Please drop off at any Greene County Public Library location in a clean zippered plastic bag (or something appropriate to help us keep your work clean and undamaged).
I’ve been a reader and writer most of my life and often wondered what it actually takes to become a published author. Recently, I had the fortune of asking retired Greene County educator turned best-selling author Randy Overbeck to share his journey to publication and how he assists other writers with their own publishing dreams.
Through many trials and tribulations, Overbeck is an award-winning author of his best-selling series The Haunted Shore Mysteries. A veteran educator and lifelong writer, Overbeck melds his two passions into helping prospective writers get their works published. Hosting “How to Get Published” programs at the Greene County Public Library this October and November, Overbeck shares a sneak peek about what folks can expect to learn from him.
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When did you first know you wanted to become an author? What inspired you to take the initial leap to pursue publishing your books?
I’ve wanted to be a writer all my life. In high school, I was going to pen the next great American novel. However, around this time, I got the call to serve children as an educator and pursued that role for four decades. I never lost my writing itch, and I continued to be a storyteller during my career. In fact, much of my teaching was one kind of storytelling or another. When my professional life slowed down, I returned to my first love and reignited the writing fire.
Knowing you’ll expand on this during your programs, can you share an obstacle that frustrated you the most and an ah-ha moment or insight that made getting published an easier process for you?
Surviving the gauntlet that is traditional publishing took every ounce of commitment and perseverance I could summon up. Having my initial query efforts turned down 100 times made me question whether I could ever succeed. Only when a publisher finally recognized the potential of my work did my prospects brighten. It paid off for the press as I am now one of their top selling authors.
What’s one piece of advice you’d like to give prospective and emerging writers?
If they haven’t yet, I always advise emerging writers to find a writers’ critique group. I’ve learned that although writing is a solitary activity, none of us can be successful alone. A good writers’ group can give any writer, especially emerging ones, fresh perspectives on their work and remarkable insights on how to make the writing stronger. I’m confident my novels would not be near as good without the input from the colleagues in my own writing group. I meet with them almost every week.
What’s your favorite book you’ve written & published so far and why?
My favorite is my latest title, Cruel Lessons, an atmospheric mystery about a drug pusher dealing hallucinogens to high school and middle school students and the rush to catch him before more kids die. I think it’s some of the best writing I’ve ever done, and the basic story/plot has a rich history that stretches back more than 20 years. It also won “Mystery of the Year for ‘23” from ReaderViews.com.
What else can folks expect to hear and learn about at your program in Xenia and Beavercreek?
Participants will gain insight into the reality of the landscape of traditional book publishing and how to navigate it. They will learn the details of what I call “The Five Steps from Written Page to Published Book” that can guide them in their writing journey, and they will receive a number of resources to support their efforts.
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All those looking to pursue the path of publishing are invited to join Overbeck at his programs happening this fall. Be sure to register online to save your seat!
Celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday! Discover local wildlife programs and preregister for our Beansatack challenge.
Reading Challenge for Kids
Fun for ages 11 and under, September’s reading challenge encourages young readers to join Smokey in learning about wildfires and the environment. Read books, take action, have fun, and earn prizes! And remember: only you can prevent wildfires. Preregister on Beanstack today!
This February, GCPL is teaming up with Real Roots Radio’s Daniel Mullins to highlight black country music artists during his Midday Music Spectacular. Tune in every weekday to hear some incredible music, learn about black history in the country music space, and every Wednesday listen as Daniel sits down with library staff to find out what’s going on at your library including themed programming, an online author visit, catalog picks and more.
With so many great artists lined up to celebrate Black History Month, I had a chance to ask Daniel some questions about this month’s program:
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Black artists have been an important part of country music lineage and progression. Broadly speaking, can you speak to their influence and impact?
Black artists have had a profound impact on country music. It’s easy to look at the success of artists like Charley Pride and Darius Rucker, but under the surface, black artists have influenced country music since before folks even knew what “country music” was. In the Country Music Hall of Fame’s rotunda room, which houses the plaques of all of those inducted into the hallowed hall, there is a massive painting that symbolically represents the genre’s origins. Painted by Thomas Hart Benton, “The Sources of Country Music” was prominently featured in Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary for PBS. This mural includes images like a singing cowboy, a church choir rehearsal, an old-timey barndance, a train blowing its whistle and more. It also includes an old black man (likely a slave or former slave) playing the banjo. The banjo is considered the only “American” instrument, and its origins can be traced back to slaves bringing the basic concept over from Africa.
Aside from the banjo itself, many early country pioneers were heavily influenced by African American artists, incorporating different elements and components into the genre’s foundation. Bill Monroe is known as the “Father of Bluegrass”, and one of his primary musical influences as a young man was a local African American guitar player named Arnold Schulz, who really helped Mr. Monroe put “the blues in bluegrass.” Even as far back as The Carter Family, one of A.P. Carter’s friends was an African American named Lesley Riddle, who traveled throughout the hills and hollers with A.P. gathering songs from mountain people that would really make up a significant chunk of the bedrock of the country music songbook in that era. When A.P. and Lesley would travel to the homes of these mountain folk collecting songs, A.P. would memorize the lyrics and Lesley would memorize the melody, then when they would get back to A.P.’s house, they would marry the two together.
Even before the genre’s early founders, black string band music was a prominent cultural force in southern communities and is a tradition that has largely faded over the last century with the early music industry becoming segregated, but thankfully there are folks like Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons and their work with the Carolina Chocolate Drops who are working hard to revive that tradition.
Thinking of that influence and impact, can you highlight some of the artists from throughout the years that have really embodied these?
DeFord Bailey was an early star of the Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville, TN. He was a black harmonica player, who was on the first recording session held in Nashville and was the first artist introduced when WSM’s barn dance style radio program changed its name to the Grand Ole Opry. He was one of the program’s most popular entertainers in the 1930’s. Known as the “Harmonica Wizard”, he was stricken with polio as a boy, and learned how to replicate the sounds of trains and animals that he heard outside his window while he was recovering from the illness as a boy. Although he was one of the Grand Ole Opry’s most popular stars, he was rather unceremoniously dismissed from the show’s cast in 1941, under suspicious circumstances. He was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, and recently the Opry celebrated DeFord Bailey’s
Daniel (R) with father Joe (L) and Phil Paul.
legacy and publicly acknowledged his dismissal, apologizing to his descendants — a kind and meaningful gesture. His biography was recently reissued, and readers should inquire about it through the Greene County Public Library — DeFord Bailey: A Black Star in Early Country Music.
Another artist who made a significant but overlooked impact on American music is Philip Paul. He was the house drummer at Cincinnati’s King Records. While at King Records, he played drums on many American classics including the original version of “The Twist” by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, “Fever” by Little Willie John, “Please Come Home For Christmas” by Charles Brown, and more. He was the drummer on most of Freddie King’s catalog, and also played drums on Cowboy Copas’ country hit, “Alabam’”, and on both the hit version of “Finger Poppin’ Time” from Hank Ballard and on the bluegrass version from The Stanley Brothers (marking one of the earliest appearances of drums on a bluegrass recording). After his time at King Records came to a close, Philip Paul remained an active part of the Cincinnati music scene for decades, up until his passing just a few short years ago. His last recordings were on the award-winning Industrial Strength Bluegrass album from Smithsonian Folkways, highlighting the history and legacy if bluegrass music in southwestern Ohio. He was posthumously honored as a Top Music Influencer by the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame.
Out of all the artists you’re featuring this month on your show, who are some of your personal favorites? Who is lesser known but deserves more of our attention? Who is currently doing new and exciting things for the genre?
Daniel (L) with Miko Marks (R)
That’s a really tough question! I am a huge fan of Stoney Edwards, a late country singer who really had some soulful country hits in the 1970’s. His song “Two Dollar Toy” was inspired by his own experience, when he was going to walk out on his family because he couldn’t provide for them, but tripped over his daughter’s toy and had a change of heart. That’s hard core!
Recently, I have really been enjoying Miko Marks. The Flint, MI native pursued a country career two decades ago, and was even named “Best New Country Artist” by New Music City Weekly in 2006, but failed to gain much commercial traction,
although the music she was releasing was fantastic. After raising her children, she re-emerged in the Americana music scene a few years ago and has really exploded
recently, introducing new audiences to her powerful voice and combination of blues,
Daniel Mullins (L) with Charley Crockett (R)
country, and more. I saw her live at Merlefest last spring, and she blew me away. You have got to check her out!
Listeners of my radio program know that I am also a big fan of Charley Crockett. His story is fascinating. He spent much of his formative years in Texas and summered in New Orleans’ French Quarter, so he often refers to his brand of country music as “Gulf and Western.” A distant relative of Davy Crockett, Charley is part-African American and part-Jewish, which makes him an all-American in my book! Not only is he a great songwriter, but he also digs deep in the country music catalog, introducing old country songs to new audiences. He is one of the hottest alt-country stars on the circuit today!
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Tune into WBZI every weekday from 10am to noon for Daniel’s Midday Music Spectacular and listen to some fabulous black country artists. Every Wednesday, tune in for special episodes all month long to hear about how your library is celebrating Black History Month.
Find themed programs, catalog picks (including music), an online author visit, and so much more happening this month here.
Music is often thought of as an ageless artform; people from different generations can enjoy the same artists and genres, or at least Real Roots Radio’s Daniel Mullins thinks so! This May, GCPL has teamed up with Real Roots Radio to spotlight some of the older country artists who shaped the music industry for the better in celebration of Older Americans Month.
Each weekday during the Daniel Mullins Midday Music Spectacular, Daniel will share a different older artist and what makes them so influential to the country music community. I had a chance to discuss the show with Daniel and how he feels about music brining folks of all ages together.
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Music is often called the universal language. Would you agree that music brings folks of all ages together?
Absolutely! In a world where we are often divided over things like age, music is one of the most unifying elements in our world. It truly brings folks together! Great music is timeless, and it’s exciting for me when I can connect with someone of a different generation over a shared interest like music. Real Roots hosts the Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival twice a year, and seeing generations of music fans coming together over a love of music is so inspiring.
What would you say is the biggest impact older Americans, artists and listeners alike, have on the country music community and why?
One of the biggest reasons that celebrating veteran members of the country and roots music community is crucial, is that it keeps us grounded. Marty Stuart of the Country Music Hall of Fame said, “I believe in the future of country music, but a future without roots is like a kite with no string.” Staying connected to more seasoned artists and fans is one of the best ways to stay grounded as we look toward the future; they can serve as that string tied to the kite that Marty was talking about, and that’s critical. That connection to the music’s history is vital and is something to be cherished.
Who are some older American artists you think have greatly contributed to the country music industry and how have they done so?
There are countless examples of living legends who are truly trailblazers in country and roots music that are still active today. Willie Nelson turned 90 years young at the end of April. He started out as one of the top songwriters in Nashville, before re-writing the rules in country music as a leader of the “Outlaw Movement” in the early 1970’s. All of these years later, he still tours relentlessly and cranks out one or two new albums a year! He is inspiring because he is constantly trying new things: writing powerful new songs, collaborating with newer artists like Billy Strings, and recording tribute albums to non-country artists such as Frank Sinatra and George & Ira Gershwin! He’s never resting on his laurels, which is remarkable to see from someone who is the epitome of a living legend! There are also many stars of the Grand Ole Opry who are continuing to make history on the nation’s longest-running live radio show. Country icons like Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely and more are staples of this historic program that will be featuring during our Living Legends Spotlight segment this month.
Knowing this month you’ll spotlight some of these artists on your show, The Daniel Mullins Midday Music Spectacular, who are some of your personal favorites and why?
I have great admiration and respect for all of the living legends in country and roots music. A couple stories I am really excited to share this month are those of Mavis Staples and Bobby Osborne. Mavis Staples (83) is beloved all across the American music spectrum, as she is celebrated in rhythm & blues, gospel, country, Americana and more. Seeing how her music has brought folks together throughout her entire career is so inspiring to me and is something I have always strived to do with my radio program. She and her family (The Staple Singers) were real leaders during the Civil Rights movement, and she is still a leader in the roots music community all of these years later – what a wonderful legacy! Bobby Osborne (91) is a member of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame who grew up in the Dayton, OH area, after his parents migrated here from Kentucky to find factory jobs after World War II. Alongside his late brother, Sonny, they honed their style of bluegrass music in the bars and honkytonks in Dayton and Cincinnati, before The Osborne Brothers shared a style of bluegrass with the world now referred to as “industrial strength bluegrass” (a phrase used to refer to bluegrass music connected to southwestern Ohio). Even in his nineties, he continues to perform in the Nashville area, and is even back in the studio working on a new album!
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Tune in to Real Roots Radio all May long to celebrate some of the older Americans who shaped country music during Daniel Mullins Midday Music Spectacular every weekday at 11 a.m. Be sure to listen on Wednesdays, as GCPL’s own Adult Services Coordinator Tamar Kreke joins Daniel to discuss all the ways you can celebrate the older Americans in your life and in your community at the library!
Greene CATS is a county public transit system operated by the Greene County Transit Board providing safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation in close coordination with the county’s social service agencies, businesses, and local decision-makers. Funding for Greene CATS Public Transit Services comes from the following sources: Federal Transit Administration, Ohio Department of Transportation, matching grants, passenger fares, and purchased service agreements with Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Greene County Department of Job and Family Services, and other agencies.
Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton’s
The 
Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton’s
Knowing you’ll expand on this during your programs, can you share an obstacle that frustrated you the most and an ah-ha moment or insight that made getting published an easier process for you?
