By John Maruskin

Clark County Public Library

I enjoyed participating in the Clark County Parks and Recreation 2020 Wellness Challenge Kickoff last Tuesday.

That’s a wonderful program of enormous benefit to citizens of Clark County.

If you did not get a chance to attend, but are interested in participating, find out about the program at ccactivitycoalition.com/wellness-challenge.

As I talked to people at the kickoff, I was surprised some told me they thought library programs are only open to people with library cards. That’s not the case.

Programs sponsored by the library, almost all the programs featured in the monthly newsletter and calendar, are free and open to the public, although participation is usually limited and filled on a first-come-first-served basis.

A community partner like Community Education or the Extension Service might charge when using a library room. If the library helps with publicity, costs will be described.

Except for Local History Week dinner programs in August, programs scheduled, sponsored and presented by the library are free and open to the public. Participants are asked to register for a program when library staff must be able to make seats, snacks or materials available.

Want to attend a library event, but don’t have a card? Register, show up, enjoy yourself. Easy/peasy. Library staff welcomes you.

It was surprising to find out people thought program attendance was limited to card patrons.

It was gratifying to hear people who use the library talk about (as one woman said) “what a clean, pretty, friendly place it is.”

Attend programs. Tour the library. Stop by my office. I’ll be happy to show you around. And if you don’t have a library card, I bet you’ll want one.

I’m biased about library cards. I think everyone should have one.

Just as participating in the Wellness Challenge helps you have a healthy body, a library card is essential for a healthy mind.

Healthy body and mind aren’t mutually exclusive. Get the whole shebang humming, life is good.

Next week’s library calendar is full of programs for mental wellness workouts.

— At 11 a.m. Monday, ageturner’s Book Group discusses “The Guardians” by John Grisham. Guardian handles a few innocence cases at a time, and Cullen Post is its only investigator. He travels the south fighting wrongful convictions, taking cases no one else will touch. With Quincy Miller, he gets more than he bargained for. Powerful, ruthless people do not want Quincy exonerated. Books are available at the circulation desk.

— At 2 p.m. Monday, chair yoga taught by Kathy Howard, certified yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance. There is a $5 charge per class.

— At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Tim Janes’ Sherlock Holmes Reading Group. The first of four discussions of Holmes’ pastiche novels. Under discussion is “The Seven Percent Solution” by Nicolas Meyers. Holmes kicks his cocaine habit with the help of Sigmund Freud, solves a sinister kidnapping and averts a European war. (Whatta week!). Reader copies are gone, but if you have your own copy, please attend.

— At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Winchester Writers discuss new stories and articles. No need to register. Bring a sample of your work.

— At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Kentucky Picture Show presents The Duke, John Wayne, in a 1956 classic about a Civil War veteran who journeys to rescue his niece from Comanches.

— At 7 p.m. Wednesday, give your neurons the ultimate workout with Jeff Gurnee’s Trivia Challenges at the Engine House Pizza Pub.

— At 9:15 a.m. Thursday, gentle yoga taught by Kathy Howard. There is a $5 charge per class.

— At noon Thursday, The Book Lunch Bunch laughs about one of the funniest novels ever written: “Cold Comfort Farm,” by Stella Gibbons. Please register to attend by Tuesday, Jan. 14.

— At 10 a.m. Friday, Write Local. Open to all styles, genres, forms and vocabularies, but use the word, “snuck,” at your own risk.

It’s a workout writing about everything that happens at the library. I feel well-er already.

John Maruskin is director of adult services at the Clark County Public Library. He can be reached at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.