Dongyun Kwon
Mental Project and Healesville Library have collaborated to run a kid’s book hunt event for the school holiday activity.
Children are encouraged to find second-hand books in zip lock bags in Queens Park, Coronation Park and the Railway Park from 16 September to 3 October.
Mental Project co-founder Steve Curry said he got an idea of the event from one of the ABC news articles he had read.
“The article was about a woman from New South Wales who started hiding children’s books in Ziploc bags,” he said.
“She got inspired by an event in America where people hide coloured rocks for children to find.
“I love the idea and it fits in with community fun excitement.”
Mr Curry expected the event to help the local kids improve their reading skills.
“I hope the event provides a free activity that encourages kids away from technology which inadvertently helps reading skills as well during the school holidays” he said.
The group secretary Gemma Seymour also started to organise the event with a small hope.
“I want this event would be a great opportunity for local children to get a habit to read more books,” she said.
Many locals are impressed by the event and show their support on a Facebook post in the Healesville Noticeboard Facebook group.
A person commented he found a few books in a park and his kids loved reading them.
Another person commented she found one in Coronation Park and wondered who was going to find the book afterwards.
The Mental Project group is planning to organise more events for the wider age groups.
“We’d like to collaborate with other community groups as well and help with skill sharing and mentoring for future events,” Mr Curry said.
People, who are interested in collaborating with them, are welcome to send an email to mentalhealesville@gmail.com.
