Jason Gay, 2, had not had a chance to sit in the seat of a fire truck before Tuesday, June 1.
Early the morning of June 1, his mom Heather Gay told him he was about to do just that.
The Piedmont Public Library, 1129 Stout Drive N.W. opened the Summer Reading 2021 program “Tails and Tales,” with a visit from local firefighters with a fire truck, Engine 2, a brush pumper truck and paramedics with an ambulance parked outside the library.
Firefighter Brayden Meschberger stood by the driver’s side door as Jason’s eyes widened while he sat in the driver’s seat and he grabbed the steering wheel.
Heather Gay said it was Jason’s first time to touch such a truck.
“I told him this morning, we are going to go see a fire truck and he said, ‘Okay.’
Heather Gay asked him, “What did you think of the fire truck?”
Jason spoke about the experience in the fire truck, and Heather confirmed his statement.
“He said he thinks the fire truck is cool,” Heather Gay said.
Rachael Nalley and Andrew, 1, both of Piedmont, also climbed aboard the truck.
There will be live events during the summer on Tuesdays, said children’s librarian Olivia Blackketter.
“This is the kickoff of our summer reading program. So we will be doing a six week program here at the library. It is a little bit of virtual and a little bit of in-person. So every Tuesday we will have events for people to come to, everything from circus performers to firefighters to a petting zoo. We have a lot of different options,”
Tuesday, June 1 was crafts day, and children could make crafts themed, “The Cow over The Moon.”
Nic Webber, 7, and his brother Trevine Webber, of Piedmont attended the event with their family.
Other events planned for June on Tuesdays at the library will be the Inspyral Circus from 11 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, June 8 with craft to-go bags. Piedmont police will visit, Tuesday, June 154 from 11 a.m. to noon. The Hooplahoma event is 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, June 22 and a craft to-go bag event is 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29.
Those who log their 20 minutes of reading a day for seven days can get a prize from the reading store.
More live events are being planned for Tuesdays in July, Blackketter said.
For more information call (405) 373-9018. Or visit the website piedmontlibrary.org/summerreading/virtualprogram.
