Somerville Book and Toy Exchange - January 29, 2000
to benefit Hildebrand Family Center

Our trademark event is a Book and Toy Exchange. One of our past B&TE was held at the Somerville Central Library on Saturday, January 29, 2000 from 11:00 to 1:00 in the library meeting room. Parents and daycare providers brought donations, looked over what others had brought, and chose some new-old toys and books for their homes. Children had a chance to make drawings and to use American Sign Language finger-spelling stamps to "write" their names in sign on their artwork.

Books on parenting and family life were available, as well as literature about local programs for parents and families. Door prizes provided by Johnny's Foodmaster, Arlington Center for the Arts, Schoenhof's Foreign Books and the MIT museum were drawn by coordinators Rich and Sue Silva mid-way through the exchange. Refreshments were provided by Dunkin Donuts on Third Street, Cambridge, and McDonald's in Twin City Plaza. Hildebrand Family Center in Cambridge received the books and toys remaining at the end of the two hours.

Donations were screened (toy guns and too-sexy dolls "circular filed" that is, thrown away). The exchange of books and toys mirrors the exchange of insights and experiences that takes place in parents' conversations in PARENTS FORUM.

A special guest attending the event was the Officer-in-Charge of the Family Unit at the United Nations Secretariat, Mr. Amr Ghaleb, who enjoyed a rare view of grass-roots parent support.

Click on the pictures below to enlarge (we apologize for picture quality - no professional photographer on the board)

A wealth of conversational exchange and an exchange of toybox and bookshelf wealth	Dads too...
Two young artists showing off the bags they decorated to carry home their new-old books and toys	Coordinators Sue Silva, second from left, and Rich Silva, second from right, with volunteers and participants
It must be clean-up time!	Clean-up is tiring! I think I'll try this chair for size. Mmm... It's just right!

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