Please join us on Tuesday, June 11, for a virtual author talk with Mark Daley, the author of “Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family.” Every day, 700 children enter the foster-care system in the United States, and thousands more live on the brink. In his new memoir, longtime activist Mark Daley traces his unlikely journey to parenthood through the American foster care system.
Daley is a social activist, entrepreneur, and foster-turned-adoptive father. Daley has more than two decades of experience in message development, communication strategy, and public policy, including as a communications director and spokesperson for then-Sen. Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. He has worked with more than 30 members of Congress, numerous governors, and other elected officials. He is the founder of One Iowa, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ equality organization, and TheFosterParent.com, a national platform to connect interested families with foster organizations. He resides in Los Angeles with his family.
“Mark Daley points out the ways in which structural and systemic forces cause profound inequities, traumas and heartbreak in the foster-care system, but most importantly he shows how we can move toward a better future by examining what it means to be a family, and what it means to love. A truly revealing work,” — Hillary Clinton.
“The result is a riveting memoir… notably balanced… Daley skillfully brings to life with personal details while successfully advocating for improved communication, funding, and overall outcomes for foster children and families. Give this to readers who enjoy memoirs that shed light on social issues, such as ‘Stephanie Land’s Maid’ (2019),” — Booklist.
“A strong indictment of a failed child welfare system, but with an unexpectedly happy ending that speaks to the power of love,” — Kirkus.
“Daley lets his frustrations with the foster system fly, yet he manages to do so without compromising his strikingly compassionate tone. The result is a gripping and earnest examination of the meaning of family,” — Publishers Weekly.
Upcoming Family Events
Story Time
Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Join us to sing songs and listen to stories! Recommended for children ages 5 and younger. Story time will be held in the Lynnfield Library Children’s Room. No registration required.
Jellyfish Wind Chines
Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Do you want a jellyfish that dances to the summer wind? Come decorate your own jellyfish with colorful tissue papers and beads! The supplies will be ready in the Children’s Room from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. Recommended for ages 5+, no registration is needed.
Dot Marker Painting
Tuesday, June 4, 10 – 11 a.m.
Join us for some Dot marker Painting! Children can pick from a variety of picture to paint using Dot Markers. Recommended for children ages 3 – 5. Register on the Lynnfield Library website, https://lynnfieldlibrary.org/event-calendar/ or by calling 781-334-5411.
Upcoming Adult Events
Curious About Cuisine
Wednesday, May 29, 3 – 4 p.m.
Back by popular demand, it’s Curious About Cuisine at the Lynnfield Library! Everyone loves food – even if they don’t like cooking or baking it themselves. You don’t have to be an avid home chef to attend Curious About Cuisine, all are welcome to learn a bit more about different cuisines and of course get a chance to taste them, too!
In May, please join Renee of Sweet Cheeks Custom Cookie Decoration!
What is Bigfoot?
Wednesday, May 29, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Come to the Lynnfield Library and learn: What Is Bigfoot! Author and TV star Ronny LeBlanc will share his cryptozoology expertise, and will be signing books.
Ronny LeBlanc stars in two shows for Discovery+ & Travel Channel, “Expedition Bigfoot” and “Paranormal Caught on Camera.” He is a regular speaker at UFO, Bigfoot, and paranormal conferences around the country and has appeared on Coast to Coast AM, CBS, and cover stories for Boston Herald, Sentinel & Enterprise, and Telegram & Gazette.
*This program was generously funded by the Friends of the Lynnfield Library
Virtual Yoga
Most Thursdays at 12 p.m.
Join us most Thursdays at noon for a virtual yoga class with Tammy Syrigos Irrera. These Zoom classes incorporate breathing techniques, core strength building, and mindfulness. Register with a valid email at least an hour prior to class start time to receive the link to join the class. You will receive an email with login information a half hour before the class begins. Register on the Lynnfield Library website, https://lynnfieldlibrary.org/event-calendar/ or by calling 781-334-5411.
*This program was generously funded by the Friends of the Lynnfield Library foll.org
Native Plants and Pollinators with Helen Coukos
Wednesday, June 5, 6 – 7 p.m.
Please join us to learn from Lynnfield resident Helen Coukos about native plants and pollinators, and see some of her beautiful photos. Helen is a longtime lover of gardening. She has taken a master gardening course, an herbal apprenticeship program, and loves learning through webinars, podcasts, gardening blogs, books, and lectures.
Helen says “I love growing food and flowers but found a new love and an exciting way of gardening with ecological gardening, which helps in saving our butterflies, birds, bees, native insects and wildlife, and our own planet.” All ages welcome.
