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Learn the Basics of

Cheesemaking

with The Chicken Librarian

April 4, 2020, 2 - 4:30 pm

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Ever wanted to learn to make cheese but don't know where to start?

This class will walk you through the basics of cheesemaking, what supplies you need, and promises to offer a fun way to get started!

Not only will you learn about cheese, but you will get to make three different kinds: buttermilk, ricotta, and mozzarella.

All participants will leave with their own homemade cheese to take home!

This is a FREE EVENT!

Space is limited, so registration is required.

To register, please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Presenter: "Kristin White has over 10 years' experience with homesteading. She is currently living a handmade life while free ranging on the banks of the Delaware River, with the Mister, a good girl pup, and two very bad kitties. She enjoys her homesteading life, including everything from making from scratch, knitting, raising chickens, beer making, bread making, and gardening. She also enjoys photography. You can follow her homesteading adventures at chickenlibrarian.com."

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Chair Fitness

* EVENT CANCELLED *

*Starting March 27, 2020, 9:30 - 10:30 am

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

Did you know that you could burn calories, strengthen, and sculpt your muscles just by sitting in a chair performing aerobics? Believe it; because the answer is YES!

Increase your heart rate and build endurance all while performing seated cardio and strength exercises.

All you need to bring are weights, a towel, and a bottle of water, as you will sweat!

This workout is suitable for all fitness levels.

*Additional Dates (9:30 - 10:30 am)

* SESSIONS CANCELLED *

• Friday, April 17
• Friday, May 1st

Registration is encouraged but not required!

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Presenter: "Teri Egan is an AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor. I teach various Fitness modalities including Cardio & Strength, Tabatta, Body Sculpting, Pilates, Kickboxing, Indoor Cycling, Aquatics Fitness, and Senior Fitness. I am a Fitness Instructor at the YMCA in Middletown and also teach privately within the community."

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Remarkable Reads: March 2020

Our Popular & Entertaining Monthly Book Discussion

March 31, 2020, 3 PM

in our 2nd floor Community Room at Thrall

At our next talk, we will discuss 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari:

About the book (from the publisher's description): "How do computers and robots change the meaning of being human? How do we deal with the epidemic of fake news? Are nations and religions still relevant? What should we teach our children? Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is a probing and visionary investigation into today's most urgent issues as we move into the uncharted territory of the future. As technology advances faster than our understanding of it, hacking becomes a tactic of war, and the world feels more polarized than ever, Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change and raises the important questions we need to ask ourselves in order to survive."

Copies of this book are available for borrowing or reservation at the library.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

Questions? Please call (845) 341-5485.

view event flyer → The Friends of Middletown Thrall Library, Inc. Present

Repair Café

Clothes, furniture, electrical / mechanical, toys, sharpening, etc.

March 21, 2020

June 20, 2020

September 19, 2020

December 19, 2020

10 AM to 1 PM in the 2nd floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

What do you do with

• a CD player that doesn't play?
• a toaster that no longer works?
• a sweater with moth holes?

Toss it away? No way!

Repair Café is

• repairing broken items together
• professional advice
• encounters and inspiration

Costs? A voluntary contribution.

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Kickbox

Balance & Sculpt

with Teri Egan, AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor

*Starting Monday, March 16, 2020, 6 - 7 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Get fit @ Thrall with our new fitness class!

This free class incorporates kickboxing moves, balance, and body sculpting.

Be prepared to work each and every muscle in your body while improving balance and flexibility. The instructor suggests bringing light weights, a yoga mat, and water to class.

Registration is encouraged but not required.

* Additional dates (6 - 7 PM):

* SESSIONS CANCELLED *

• Monday, March 30, 2020
• Monday, April 27, 2020

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Instructor: "I teach various Fitness modalities including Cardio & Strength, Tabatta, Body Sculpting, Pilates, Kickboxing, Indoor Cycling, and Senior Fitness. I am a Fitness Instructor at the YMCA in Middletown and also teach privately within the community."

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Paint in the Brushstrokes
of Three Great Masters

*Starting March 28, 2020, 2 - 3:30 pm

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

Enjoy the fluid experience of watercolor painting as we follow three great painters…

MATISSE, DEMUTH, CEZANNE

Be inspired by their colors and shapes, and learn some new techniques!

*Classes are on the following dates:

• Saturday, March 28th, 2 - 3:30 pm: Cezanne
• Friday, April 10th, 4 - 5:30 pm: DeMuth
• Friday, April 17th, 4 - 5:30 pm: Matisse

All skill levels welcome! No drawing skills required.

This is a FREE EVENT.

All materials provided! Registration required: please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Presenter (Pat Foxx): "I enjoy teaching the techniques of watercolor in a relaxed and accepting atmosphere. Beginners are pleased to discover that watercolors are not as challenging as they think. Every student leaves with a sense of accomplishment."

view event flyer → The Friends of Middletown Thrall Library, Inc. Proudly Present

Brooklyn Baroque

Sunday, March 29, 2020, 2 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

with performances by
Rebecca Pechefsky, harpsichord
Davi Bakamjian, cello
Taya König-Tarasevich, flute
Theresa Salomon, violin

Please join us for an exquisite and memorable afternoon of sonatas and suites by Telemann and others.

This event is free and open to the public.

For more on Brooklyn Baroque, please visit www.rpechefsky.com.

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Books on Tap Book Discussion

Our Traveling Book Discussion for Adults

March 22, 2020, 1 - 3 PM

We're meeting @ Clemson Bros Brewery!
22 Cottage St., Middletown, NY 10940

This month, we're reading Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty.

About the book: "Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty's latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out. Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can't even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be. Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft."

Registration not required, but encouraged! Books (regular, Large Print, audio) available for check out at Circulation.

All adults (21+) are welcome to join us! It's FREE!

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

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Poetry Workshops

with TestiMonet

*Starting Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 6 - 7 pm

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Calling all adult poets! Thrall invites you to dive into the world of poetry!

Please join us for a free series of poetry workshops starting in March. Every class will focus on a different form of poetry (free verse, rhyming, acrostic, sonnet, and more) .

Participants will get to read a popular poem, interpret it together, and then have an opportunity to write their own piece of work with the presenter's guidance.

At a later date, participants will get to present their own work at a showcase!

* Other workshop dates (6 - 7 pm):

• Tuesday March 24th (* session cancelled *)
• Tuesday April 7th
• Tuesday April 21st

Participants can come to any or all workshops they would like!

Registration is encouraged but not required.

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Presenter: "Monet, AKA TestiMonet, is a full time educator, wife, and mother. She's also the owner of a media company called TestiMonet Productions. She has written multiple short films, feature films, plays, and poems. Her first short film Lift Every Voice has gotten accepted into 19 festivals and offered 2 distribution deals. Her first play Child of God has had 3 successful runs in NY (Middletown, Harriman, and NYC - Off Broadway). She loves writing and performing poetry and hopes to continue in this craft. She's currently co-facilitating a Poetry group in her school to 3-5th graders as well as writing a poetry book titled Lyrical Biblical Tales."

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Self-Care with Essential Oils

Friday, February 28, 2020, 3 - 5 pm

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

Whether you're new to using essential oils, or you've been using them for a while, this event will review the basics on how you can start taking care of yourself without chemicals and toxins!

You'll also get a chance to create your own "Stress Away Body Butter" as well as a "Sweet Dreams Roller" to take home!

This event is FREE!

It's a hands-on, interactive class, and more!

Registration required (space is limited).
Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

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Local Author Kathy Morley

Thursday, April 9, 2020, 6:30 - 7:30 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Meet Kathy Morley, who recently published her book, The Gift: Finding the Extraordinary in Everyday Living. Kathy Morley is a certified hypnotist, Reiki Master, EFT practitioner, Silva Graduate, channel, and teaches metaphysics and meditation.

"A masterful storyteller, Kathy whisks readers into another dimension through her own experiences with psychic phenomena, hypnosis, UFOs, and channeling.

As the plot unfolds, the reader may draw parallels in their lives previously missed or attributed to coincidences, when, in truth, the cosmos was the guiding light.

The Gift chronicles a fascinating journey that highlights the capability of the higher self, transcending time and space, keeping the reader spellbound and eager to read more.

Kathy will read from her book, answer questions, and pick a few volunteers interested in experiencing the gift of unseen energy."

Copies of Kathy's book will be available for purchase + signing.

This event is free and open to the public.

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at tzacek@rcls.org or 341-5483.

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* EVENT CANCELLED *

Birds & Wildlife

of Tanzania & Kenya

A Presentation by Lee Hunter

March 17, 2020, 6 - 7 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Lee Hunter, an avid birder, photographer, and traveler will share beautiful photos and stories from his visit to Tanzania and Kenya, which he found to be "one of the best wildlife spots on Earth" with "fabulous bird and animals out in plain view."

Weaver birds, hornbills, ostriches, elephants, giraffes, lions, and more amazing creatures will be featured!

This event is free and open to the public!
Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

This event was made possible by Orange County Audubon Society (OCAS). OCAS is a bird and wildlife conservation organization, stewarding five bird and wildlife sanctuaries in Orange County, NY. They also curate monthly programs/presentations throughout the county and several birding field trips each season.

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Remarkable Reads: Feb. 2020

Our Popular & Entertaining Monthly Book Discussion

February 26, 2020, 3 PM

in our 2nd floor Community Room at Thrall

At our next talk, we will discuss The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang:

About the book (from the publisher's description): "Stella Lane comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases - a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old. It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice - with a professional - which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. With the looks of a K-drama star and the martial arts moves to match, the Vietnamese-Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer."

Copies of this book are available for borrowing or reservation at the library.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

Questions? Please call (845) 341-5485.

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Books on Tap Book Discussion

Our Traveling Book Discussion for Adults

Feb. 16, 2020, 1 - 3 PM

We're meeting @ SCOTCHTOWN CRAFT
741 Route 211 East, Middletown, NY 10941

This month, we're reading The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin.

About the book: "If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life? It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children - four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness-sneak out to hear their fortunes. The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in '80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality."

Registration not required, but encouraged! Copies of this book (regular, Large Print, audio) are available for check out at Circulation.
Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.
For more about J's Place: www.jsplaceny.com.

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Chinese Culture

Presented by the Middletown Branch of the Minghui School

February 21, 2020, 2:30 - 5:30 pm

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

Participants will learn...

• how to make and eat Chinese Dumplings
• the art of Chinese paper cutting
• how to make Chinese lanterns

This event is FREE!

Registration required.

To register, please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Presenters: "The Minghui School is a non-profit bilingual Chinese School, providing a healthy and lovely learning environment for children to learn the Chinese language, traditional culture, etiquette and traditional arts. It aims to enhance character and to enlighten wisdom and talents."

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Kickbox

Balance & Sculpt

with Teri Egan, AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor

*Starting Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, 6 - 7 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Get fit @ Thrall with our new fitness class!

This free class incorporates kickboxing moves, balance, and body sculpting.

Be prepared to work each and every muscle in your body while improving balance and flexibility. The instructor suggests bringing light weights, a yoga mat, and water to class.

Registration is encouraged but not required.

* Additional dates (6 - 7 PM):

• Tuesday, February 11, 2020
• Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

About the Instructor: "I teach various Fitness modalities including Cardio & Strength, Tabatta, Body Sculpting, Pilates, Kickboxing, Indoor Cycling, and Senior Fitness. I am a Fitness Instructor at the YMCA in Middletown and also teach privately within the community."

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Tabata 2020

with Teri Egan, AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor

*Starting January 7, 2020, 6 - 7 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

Did you make a New Years resolution to get fit? Kickstart those goals here at Thrall with Tabata!

Tabata is "high-intensity interval training" consisting of 20 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of rest per cycle.

There are 8 cycles within each round of Tabata.

Each round alternates between cardio, strength and sculpting exercises utilizing one's own body weight and/or incorporating exercise equipment.

All exercises can be modified to YOUR fitness level!

The instructor encourages participants to bring their own dumbbells and exercise mat.

*Other class dates (6 - 7 PM):

• Tuesday, January 14, 2020
• Tuesday, January 28, 2020

This class is free and open to the public!

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at tzacek@rcls.org or 341-5483.

About the Presenter: "I teach various Fitness modalities including Cardio & Strength, Tabata, Body Sculpting, Pilates, Kickboxing, Indoor Cycling, and Senior Fitness. I am a Fitness Instructor at the YMCA in Middletown and also teach privately within the community."

view event flyer → Middletown Thrall Library joins with

New York Blood Center

to conduct an

Emergency Blood Drive

on January 21, 2020, 12 - 6 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Thrall

Donors will be entered in a raffle to win a trip for two to Cancun!

Donor Requirements...

• Please bring your Donor Card or ID with photo or signature.
• For ages 16 - 75.
• 16 years old: NYBC parental consent required.
• 76+ years old: Doctor's note required.
• Minimum weight 110 lbs.
• Eat well and drink fluids before donating!
• No new tattoos for the past 12 months.

For questions regarding medical eligibility, please call 1-800-688-0900 or 1-800-933-2566.

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Remarkable Reads: Jan. 2020

Our Popular & Entertaining Monthly Book Discussion

January 28, 2020, 3 PM

in our 2nd floor Community Room at Thrall

At our next talk, we will discuss The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg:

About the book (from the publisher's description): "In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation. Along the way we learn why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. We visit laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. We discover how the right habits were crucial to the success of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and civil-rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. We go inside Procter & Gamble, Target superstores, Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, NFL locker rooms, and the nation's largest hospitals and see how implementing so-called keystone habits can earn billions and mean the difference between failure and success, life and death."

Copies of this book are available for borrowing or reservation at the library.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

Questions? Please call (845) 341-5485.

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Books on Tap Book Discussion

Our Traveling Book Discussion for Adults

January 26, 2020, 1 - 3 PM

We're meeting @ J's Place 39 West Main St., Middletown, NY

We took a break for the holidays but we're ready to get underway in 2020! This month's book is Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

About the book: "Ghana, eighteenth century: two half-sisters are born into different villages, each unaware of the other. One will marry an Englishman and lead a life of comfort in the palatial rooms of the Cape Coast Castle. The other will be captured in a raid on her village, imprisoned in the very same castle, and sold into slavery. Homegoing follows the parallel paths of these sisters and their descendants through eight generations: from the Gold Coast to the plantations of Mississippi, from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. Yaa Gyasi's extraordinary novel illuminates slavery's troubled legacy both for those who were taken and those who stayed - and shows how the memory of captivity has been inscribed on the soul of our nation."

Registration not required, but encouraged! Copies of this book (regular, Large Print, audio) are available for check out at Circulation.
Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.
For more about J's Place: www.jsplaceny.com.

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The Homegrown String Band

Sunday, January 12, 2020, 2- 3:30 PM

in the 2nd Floor Community Room at Middletown Thrall Library

The Homegrown String Band will take you on a musical journey, from ancient ballads of the British Isles to blues and bluegrass of the twentieth century with a unique repertoire of original and traditional music inspired by the classic sounds of rural America.

This dynamic trio - husband, wife, and daughter - draws from an eclectic palette of instruments including guitar, banjo, dulcimer, mandolin, banjo ukulele, baritone ukulele, harmonica, jaw harp, and doumbek to add their own musical DNA to an American tradition!

This concert is free and open to the public!

Questions? Please contact Theresa Zacek at 341-5483 or tzacek@rcls.org.

Learn more about The Homegrown String Band at homegrownstringband.com.