On Nov. 16, the Together Reading Eating and Talking (TREaT) festival took place in the parking lot of Staley Middle School. The event was organized by librarian Malynda Purcell, and it is the fourth year that the event has occured.
“This year my goal is to establish a connection between the community, the library services and promoting literacy,” Purcell said.
In past years, TREaT was a weekend-long event where students and families could go around to businesses participating in the festival and earn discounts on products. This year, Purcell organized the event as a gathering to help promote community connections.
“That’s kind of not really what I ever envisioned,” Purcell said. “I envisioned it being a one place, one-stop shop. This is the first year that we’re doing it as a festival so that everybody can come at once.”
Schools throughout the district participated in the festival. They advertised the event by putting fliers up in their schools and in their weekly newsletters.
“It’s been announced at the school board,” Purcell said. “I have posters up. The goal is to have as many people as possible come out. But it’s the first time, we’ll just have to see what happens.”
Since the festival happened in one place this year, it allowed Purcell to incorporate more aspects into the event, like food trucks and small businesses. One of the businesses that was there was a lemonade business run by GT Humanities teacher Brent Beeson and his wife, Elizabeth Beeson.
“We started our business this summer as a side company we can do in the spring and summer months with our family,” Elizabeth said. “We are excited to help serve the community at the festival.”
Purcell added the food truck in the hopes that it would bring more people to the event. She looks forward to continuing to bring them in the coming years.
“I heard about the festival from Mrs. Purcell and this is going to be our first time at the event,” Brent said. “We will most likely be in attendance next year as well.”
Along with food trucks and read alouds, giveaways and craft stations have been added to the festival to make it a more collaborative event. Superintendent Mike Waldrip did one of the read alouds, along with the Frisco Public Library, Monett Elementary and a few other schools in the district.
“We’re going to have face painting, games and friendship bracelet making,” Purcell said. “The giveaways are going to be for all age groups so I hope high school students come and participate. Come get food, get a book and find a place to sit and read. Just enjoy not being on a cell phone and being together as a community.”
