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(Pumpkin House on display during Fall at the North Asheville Library)
From Cinderella to jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween, pumpkins have always inspired the magic of imagination. Now, a pumpkin house is sparking creativity and excitement for children visiting the North Asheville Library. The brains and craftsmanship behind the pumpkin house is Youth Service Specialist Peter Athos. “I do really hope the kids enjoy it,” says Athos. “So far, they’ve been going nuts in it. It’s their own space with a door that adults can’t fit in, and they find that appealing.” Kids are also encouraged to leave their mark on the house with crayons. Athos purposefully kept the house its cardboard color so it could be a blank canvas for all the children who come to the library to decorate.
The cardboard for the house was donated by Ski Countries, the bike shop located next to the North Asheville Library. After collecting the cardboard, Athos created a model of the house with a 3-D printer, projected it onto the cardboard, cut out the pieces, and put it together. That isn’t all that Athos creates, he also crafts many puppets for the storytime presentations for the children of all ages who come to the library.
(Pictured: Peter and his puppet Maddy created for Storytime)
Athos wanted to make sure to thank Julie Niwinski, branch manager of the North Asheville Library for allowing him time, opportunity, and support for the house. The North Asheville Library is one of 13 local branch libraries spread throughout Buncombe County. Aside from checking out books, movies, music, and more, the local library system sponsors many fun events for every age and interest, including: storytimes, books clubs, summer reading programs, seasonal activities, musical performances, educational programs, historical discussions, and much more. You can visit Public Libraries website to find the location nearest you, and also check out their calendar of events.