Bemis Public Library Adult & All Ages Events – Oct. 2021
Senior Social Club—Thursdays in October 9:30–11:30 a.m.
We’re ready to meet in person once again! Please join us for our weekly chat in Sophie’s Place at the front of the library. And be prepared for some special guests at one of our get-togethers – some of the sweet dogs from the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley will stop by for cuddles!
Mundo Mistico: Equatorial Guinea – Friday, October 1, 9:30 a.m.
This creative and engaging class invites us to learn about Spanish language and culture through the unique lens of different countries. Each month, we will explore one of the twenty countries worldwide that claim Spanish as the official language. Each session will introduce vocabulary and gentle language practice, and also explore the culture, art, and heritage of each country. Hybrid in-person/virtual: attendees may come to the library, or attend via Zoom.
Registration is required. Beginning September 3, please click here or call the library at (303) 795-3961 to register.
The Dangers of Censorship: Banned Books Week Wrap-Up – Saturday, October 2, 2 p.m.
Libraries stand against censorship and promote the right to read. But some books are hard to defend. When a book uses racist language, or demeans people with disabilities, or promotes social ideas that no longer suit the times, it’s easy to see why someone would want that book taken off the shelf. But it’s more important to learn how to think critically about these books and talk about the ways society has changed instead of trying to remove them. This interactive discussion wraps up a week of focusing on books that have been challenged and invites participants to think more deeply about difficult books and the value they still have for readers.
Board Games @ Bemis—Friday October 8, 5–7 p.m.
Drop in after-hours for board games. Pizza and snacks will be served. Open to all ages, no registration required.
Ray Miller: The Journey of a Closeted Pastor – Tuesday, October 12, 2 p.m.
Ray Miller lived with the possibility of disaster for 79 years. If he had been publicly outed as a gay man, his ordination in the United Methodist Church would have been revoked, his marriage ended and his family devastated. Yet for all of that, his story has hope and humor in it. Join this local author to hear about his journey as a Christian gay man before gay rights were recognized or protected.
A Musical Journey to Japan – Thursday, October 14, 2 p.m.
Classically trained musician Yoko Hiraoka will perform on the koto (Japanese 13-stringed zither) and sing beautiful melodies of Japan while sharing poems, images and stories with each song in this beautiful introduction to Japanese culture and history.
Native Americans of Colorado with Active Minds – Monday, October 18, 2 p.m.
Join Active Minds as they tell the stories of the original inhabitants of Colorado. From Mesa Verde to the high plains, learn about the civilizations of the Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Pueblo and other tribes as we seek to understand Colorado’s Native American history and legacy.
For more information on this topic, visit the course outline: https://activeminds.com/topics/Native_Americans_of_Colorado.html
Plexiglass Layer Cake craft program – Saturday, October 23, 2–3:30 p.m.
Bring new depth to a special image with layers of plexiglass and lots of creativity! Participants will use multiple copies of an image and several sheets of plexiglass to create interesting new perspectives, add collaged details, and transform a two-dimensional picture into three dimensional art.
Registration is required. Beginning October 1, please click here or call the library at (303) 795-3961 to register.
Halloween Dance Party – Wednesday, October 27, 2 p.m.
Part fitness, part monster ball, all fun! No prior dance knowledge needed. Come let out your inner child and dance to some fun Halloween tunes—Thriller, Monster Mash, Ghostbusters, Addams Family, Purple People Eater, The Blob, Werewolves of London.
Ages 8 and up are welcome. Wear your Halloween costumes or accessories (but make sure you can move around in them)! Program will be held outdoors, weather permitting.
Registration is required. Beginning October 1, please click here or call the library at (303) 795-3961 to register.
Bemis Book Clubs
Join one of our fantastic groups to discuss thought provoking books – and sometimes just life in general. The Senior Book Group meets virtually on the first Wednesday of the month. The Evening Book Club meets at the library on the third Wednesday of the month.
Senior Book Group (hybrid in-person/online): Wednesday, October 6, 1 p.m.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
- In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So, when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.
- A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.
Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades and launches them both on a mission to find the truth…no matter where it leads.
Find the book at bemis.marmot.org
Hybrid in-person/virtual: attendees will be able to come to the library or attend via Zoom.
Call the library for more information: (303) 795-3961
Evening Book Club (hybrid in-person/online): Wednesday, October 20, 5:30 p.m.
Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce
“London, 1940. Emmeline Lake is Doing Her Bit for the war effort, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services. When Emmy sees an advertisement for a job at the London Evening Chronicle, her dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent suddenly seem achievable. But the job turns out to be working as a typist for the fierce and renowned advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Emmy is disappointed, but gamely bucks up and buckles down. Mrs. Bird is very clear: letters containing any Unpleasantness must go straight in the bin. But when Emmy reads poignant notes from women who may have Gone Too Far with the wrong men, or who can’t bear to let their children be evacuated, she is unable to resist responding. As the German planes make their nightly raids, and London picks up the smoldering pieces each morning, Emmy secretly begins to write back to the readers who have poured out their troubles.
Find the book at bemis.marmot.org
Hybrid in-person/virtual: attendees will be able to come to the library or attend via Zoom.
Call the library for more information: (303) 795-3961
