By Amy Silva
The Annual Family Reading Night will be on Nov. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Cultural Center and will be open to the public free of charge.
The evening's events will kickoff at 6 p.m. with a general session featuring Brian Ellis of the Peoria Storytellers Guild.
In break out sessions from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Ellis will be telling stories for children of ages 10 through 15, while writer Brian Campbell will lead a discussion on the writings of Jimmy Buffet.
Dr. Daniel Guillory, English professor at Millikin University in Decatur, will discuss two of his works entitled: "Memory Train" and "Seeds of Change," about significant changes before and after World War II.
Special story-telling sessions will be offered for preschool and elementary school age children, and an open mic program will be led by English instructor Geoffrey Schmidt.
Refreshments will be served between 7:30 and 8 p.m. in the cafeteria."The purpose of family reading night is to promote reading and especially within the family environment", said Cory Tomasson, one of the organizers.
Comparing this year’s activities to last years, Tomasson said, "Last year we offered too much, and this year will be more manageable and more specifically geared for different age groups and points of interest."
A Book Fair will also be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the lobby.
A selection of books will be for sale at anywhere from 50-70% off the retail price.