One of my weekends this summer was spent helping with a Wounded Warrior Project event in our tiny towns of Sekiu and Clallam Bay.  Some of the officers at Clallam Bay Corrections Center and their spouses contacted the program and invited 18 wounded military personnel to come to our towns for a salmon derby.

 It was great fun!!  Fifteen were able to make it and thanks to other officers from the prison and members of the community, we were able to put each Warrior on a boat with a captain and a skipper to see to their needs when it was time to fish.

There were pot lucks, BBQ’s, prizes for the biggest fish and for the smallest fish and even for no fish at all!!  The whole community pitched in and it was a great time for everyone. 

More information about the Wounded Warrior Project can be found at this link: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Clallam Bay Library

The two biggest highlights of 2011 for Clallam Bay Corrections Center were the ILS Library Snapshot Day and the donation of $1,000 to buy library materials.

The ILS Library Snapshot day was a huge hit at the CBCC branch library.  The turnout for each unit was great and many were disappointed when they could not attend due to lack of room.  Stacks of “What library services mean to me” forms were filled out with heartfelt statements, even by those who didn’t make it in for that day.  The guys really felt it was important to let someone – anyone – know how important their library is to them.  Of course the picture taking was a big hit because the pictures were going to be posted on Facebook and their family and friends would be able to see them.  It was a fun filled evening enjoyed by patrons, clerks and staff alike.

The second big event was the donation of $1,000 from the CBIT (Clallam Bay Improvement Team) which is a team of offenders with a staff sponsor.  Their goal is to do things in the institution that improves being incarcerated here. They held a fund raiser, selling pies and chicken purchased at a not so close by store, with a mark up to give the donation.  This is often done by offenders who only make $.34 an hour.  It was touching to me that when they found out that the budget for the library had been cut drastically they were all willing to spend their hard earned money so a good donation could be given and new books and music could be purchased for their library.

The Washington State Library’s Institutional Library Services (ILS) team hosted their very own Library Snapshot Day yesterday (1/11/11). Photos and stories from the event are being posted on Facebook, and you can find them under: ILS Library Snap Shot Day.

Photos and stories are rolling in from institutions across the state, including: Washington State Reformatory, Western State Hospital, Washington State Penitentiary (East and West complexes), Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Washington Corrections Center for Women, Eastern State Hospital, and the Stafford Bay Correction Center.

Check them out now over on Facebook.

While you’re over there, check out our other WSL Facebook pages:

• Washington State Library
• Washington Talking Book and Braille Library
• WSL Institutional Library Services