This November, CCPL is honoring and celebrating America's veterans with a variety of programs and activities.
FEATURED PROGRAMS
Artist Mary Whyte presents "We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America"
Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m. | Main Library
In honor of Veteran’s Day, artist Mary Whyte talks about her book, “We the People,” a collection of her portraits of veterans around the country. Publisher University of South Carolina Press says Whyte’s portrait of America includes “individuals from many walks of life, some still active duty, and from every branch: women and men, old and young, and from a wide swath of ethnicities, befitting our glorious melting pot. From a mayor to an astronaut, from a teacher to a garbage collector, from a business entrepreneur to someone who is homeless, Whyte renders their unique and exceptional lives with great care and gentle brush strokes. We the People is not only a tour across and through these vast United States, it is a tour through the heart and soul, the duty and the commitment, of the people who protect not only our Constitution and our country, but our very lives.”
Whyte will discuss her work, take questions from the audience and sign her book, which will be available for purchase. All royalties will benefit the Patriot Art Foundation.
Dr. Nic Butler presents A Veteran's Story: Caring for Sgt. William Jasper's Family
Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. | Main
Sergeant William Jasper has been lauded as a South Carolina hero of the American Revolution since the 1770s, but the lack of a post-war system of addressing veterans' affairs caused Jasper's family to suffer hardships for many decades after his patriotic sacrifice in 1779. Join CCPL's historian, Dr. Nic Butler, for an review of the aid extended by the City of Charleston and the State of South Carolina to the poor family of Sergeant Jasper, from the 1780s to the 1840s.
Assistance for Veterans
Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Johns Island
Veterans or spouses of veterans can meet with an accredited VA claims representative to find out about the Aid and Attendance benefit. Veterans and widowed spouses who require the aid and attendance of another person may be eligible for additional benefits for care assistance in the home or in an assisted living community. No appointment needed.
Author Series: Meet Retired U.S. Marine Ralph “Stoney” Bates
Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. | Baxter-Patrick James Island
Hear about the work of Ralph Stoney Bates Sr., an author and retired United States Marine Major, who spent 26 years in active duty and 16 years as a deputy sheriff. Stoney, as he prefers to be called, completed his first book titled “Short Rations For Marines,” an anthology of 52 true short stories by 37 different authors. His second book, “A Marine Called Gabe,” is a historical novel of the life and legend of John Archer Lejeune, the thirteenth Commandant of the Marine Corps. His third book, “An American Shame: The Abandonment of an Entire American Population,” is the story of the American Chamorro of Guam during the Japanese occupation of the American island. He and his wife, Lyn, remained on the island of Guam for eight months to complete and publish the book. He published his latest work, “Short Rations From Patriots Point Volunteers.” It’s about the Naval and Maritime Museum and its volunteers. Stoney lives with his wife in Mount Pleasant. His four great loves are his wife, the Marine Corps, writing and teaching.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Digital Scavenger Hunt
Nov. 4 - 15 | Dorchester Road Regional, Edisto, Hurd/St. Andrews Regional, McClellanville, Mt. Pleasant Regional, Otranto Road Regional, Poe/Sullivan's Island, Wando Mount Pleasant, and West Ashley
Use the Internet and CCPL's online databases to answer questions about veterans and Veterans Day, and earn a sweet reward for your efforts.
Movie Screening: “They Shall Not Grow Old”
Thursday, Nov. 7 from 5 - 7 p.m. | Baxter Patrick James Island
Watch and discuss Peter Jackson’s “They Shall Not Grow Old.” Rated R; 99 minutes.
Storytime: Thank You for Your Service
Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m. | Edisto
Show your gratitude and appreciation for our soldiers with a story and craft.
Thankful for Our Veterans
Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. | Main
Learn about what it means to be a U.S. veteran and write a special letter to one of our country’s heroes.
Thank You for Your Service
Throughout November | Edisto
Compose a letter of appreciation or draw a picture for the troops. Letters will be submitted to A Million Thanks who will distribute them to our military – active, reserve, and veterans –, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are injured in hospitals.
9th Annual Giving Thanks to Our Veterans
Throughout November | Mt. Pleasant Regional
In support of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, the following items will be collected for donation:
$10 gift cards for Uber, Lyft, McDonald’s, Starbucks, gas stations
Sturdy backpacks
Men’s and women’s tennis shoes, all sizes
Men’s and women’s sweatpants, all sizes
Prepackaged snacks (not expired; e.g., peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, granola bars, protein bars, jerky)
Supplies for VA Coffee Cart: 8-oz. cups and lids (8-oz. size only); individual sugar packets; individual artificial sugar packets; individual creamer packets; wooden stirrers
CARTA low-income bus passes
Please note: All items must be new. A donation form is available for obtaining a receipt for tax purposes.
Crossword Puzzle
Throughout November | Cooper River Memorial
World War I: Lessons and Legacies
Monday, Nov. 4 – Saturday, Nov. 9 (All Day) | Baxter Patrick James Island
Explore the history of World War I and its lasting impact on American life through this poster exhibition provided by The Smithsonian.