Library programming heats up with combustion demonstration

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Public Library got a hot start to the summer this week as it kicked off its Wonderful Wednesday programming with a lesson in combustion.

Coming from the Grout Museum District in Waterloo, Christina Whitney set up in the Zastrow Room to offer a kid-friendly demonstration, explaining the different ways fires can start and the science behind them.

“We don’t want it to just be fun. We want it to be educational,” said Whitney. “I need to make sure their first day of summer is fantastic.”

From wax candles to marshmallows to paper, Whitney demonstrated several different ways that fire can start and behave, along with various methods of putting them out.

“It was really fun,” said Whitney. “They were a very enthusiastic group of kids.”

While normally not one to advise setting things on fire indoors, the program even got the approval of Fire Chief Sam Deverell.

“I thought it was pretty good,” said Deverell, who followed up Whitney’s demonstration by giving the attending children a series of fire safety tips.

Coming up next week at the library, Wonderful Wednesdays will continue with an educational program about bats.

Meanwhile, summer reading programs will feature reading by the river on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. and the Read Round Town on Thursdays at 10 a.m., where kids will visit various places around Charles City for story time. Next week’s program will take them to the Avenue of the Saints Vet Clinic.