Photo by Becky Polaski Drummer Bill Pate presented the program Bill Pate’s Drum Trail for the St. Marys Public Library’s Summer Reading Program kickoff event on Thursday night.

By Becky Polaski

Staff Writer

The St. Marys Public Library held the kickoff event for the 2009 Summer Reading Program, Be Creative @ your Library on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. A sizable crowd attended the event, which was, called Bill Pate’s Drum Trail, drew a sizable crowd.

“This is a show that I do to show kids what a drummer does,” Pate said of the program. “It explains kind of how and why we got to be rhythmic people in the first place. It is something that they kind of take for granted because they hear rhythm and music every day. I take them all the way back to the beginning of all that stuff.”

Pate’s program provided an evening of fun and entertainment for young readers and their families. He told stories and played various types of drums. His program also featured a lot of audience participation.

Pate is originally from Beaver Falls and travels around the country putting on this program. He is also a member of the Bill Pate Trio, which is currently working on a CD.

According to St. Marys Public Library Head of Children’s Services Vicki Miller, over 400 children age 18 and under have already signed up for this year’s Summer Reading Program. Registration runs throughout the entire month of June and interested individuals can sign up at the library.

For more information on the Summer Reading Program contact the St. Marys Public Library at 834–6141.