Free Seed Library Springs Up Friday, ‘Art In Bloom’ Collaboration With Garden Club

Wine tasting tickets are now available — save $5 by purchasing ahead

The Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library met last night and thanked the community and Vic’s Waffle House for a successful Breakfast for Dinner and 50/50 raffle fundraiser that netted almost $1,000 to cover programming. 

The Friends are also looking for a CPA who could help the treasurer out with this year’s tax filing. If that sounds like you, drop an email to FriendsTPLibrary@gmail.com.

Upcoming Events
The Friends Annual Meeting will be Saturday, April 20. Everyone is invited to learn about the Friends and consider volunteering for the board. If you’d like to help out with setup, you can sign up here.

A can’t-miss event is the Friends’ Wine Tasting on Tuesday, April 23 from 6 – 8 p.m., hosted by One Stop Liquors at 1900 Main St. This is the second year for the tasting, and One Stop does a great job curating a variety of wines and small bites. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door and are available online here. 

Also mark your calendars for a mini dine-out at Mac’s Dairy Farm on Wednesday, May 15. Mention the Friends and Mac’s will donate a portion of your purchase.

Library In Bloom
In her report, Library Director Diane Giarrusso reported on collaborations happening in April.

The Tewksbury Garden Club and the library are planning an “Art In Bloom” event throughout the library building from April 26 – 28. Garden Club members will interpret with flowers and plants library book and media covers, as well as art from Tewksbury Memorial High School students and the Tewksbury Piecemakers quilters.

Arrangements will be on display throughout the library all weekend next to the artworks that inspired them.

Garden Club member Susan Young approached the library on behalf of the local Tree City USA committee with a request to plant a native tree on library property on Arbor Day, Friday, April 26. 

“We’re very excited because we think this may be a multi-year effort and the back lawn — the event lawn, as we call it — will become somewhat more park-like,” said Giarrusso. That lawn area also recently received an event stage for summer concerts and a walkway to improve access to the community garden.  

The TPL free Seed Library is set to launch on Friday, April 5. More than 190 varieties of fruit, vegetable, herb, and flower seeds will be available, including heirloom, organic, and pollinator varieties. No library card is required, and all seed packets are free to pick up during regular library hours, though patrons are asked to limit themselves to three packets per person.

“There are a variety of pollinator-friendly flowers so patrons can plant their own pollinator spaces at home and create an environment for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds,” said Giarrusso. 

More information will be available on the TPL website beginning tomorrow. All seeds were donated by local and national organizations, including Mahoney’s Garden Center, Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, High Mowing Seeds, Sow Right Seeds and Burpee. Planting guides are available, and gardeners are invited to harvest their seeds at the end of the season and donate them for next year’s seed library.

Giarrusso updated the Friends on program attendance. There were 165 in-person events attended by 4,075 adults, teens and kids; 14,612 people attended 136 virtual events; and an additional 9,977 viewed recordings within 7 days of posting. That adds up to about 27,000 participants in 299 programs.

Finally, in honor of National Poetry Month, Giarrusso invited all residents to consider trying out the Poetry Circle that meets every second Wednesday of the month. April’s meeting is on the 10th, in person or via Zoom, at 1:30 p.m. Find details on the calendar.

“The group appreciates poetry of all kinds, and there is no requirement to talk,” said Giarrusso. She wrapped up her report with a short poem:  

blessing the boats by Lucille Clifton, 1936-2010

(at St. Mary’s)

may the tide
that is entering even now
the lip of our understanding
carry you out
beyond the face of fear
may you kiss
the wind then turn from it
certain that it will
love your back may you
open your eyes to water
water waving forever
and may you in your innocence
sail through this to that

From Quilting: Poems 1987–1990 by Lucille Clifton. Copyright © 2001 by Lucille Clifton. Reprinted with permission of BOA Editions Ltd. All rights reserved.

Looking Ahead
Wednesday, May 1: Monthly Friends meeting at 7 p.m. in the large meeting room.

Saturday, May 18: Friends Bake Sale from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in conjunction with the Garden Club Plant Sale. Volunteers are needed to donate baked goods and to sell the items. Sign up now to donate individually wrapped items or to take a shift selling items.

Saturday, June 8: Community Yard Sale from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There will be 11 6’ tables available with a price of $25 ($20 for Friends members). Vendors will keep all money from their sales. No charge for admission. The Friends will promote the event on their website, Facebook and local media. Volunteers will be needed to supply baked goods and sell items. The Kona Ice Truck will be at the event in the afternoon, and some Tewksbury Police Department canine “officers” will be in attendance. Want a table? Email the Friends at FriendsTPLibrary@gmail.com.

Thursday, June 20: Dine out at Cafe Sicilia. 

The library will close at 3:30 p.m. on April 12 and 13 and will be closed on April 16 for Patriots’ Day.