I have had the opportunity to get out and around the area a little bit and have met some wonderful people and discovered some interesting things.

Tucked away on the ground floor of the Robeson County Partnership for Children’s building is the Smart Start Resource Lending Library. The mission of this library is to provide Robeson County resdents access to educational information, materials, and services that will serve to enhance the quality of early childhood experiences for children up to age 5. This is a colorful, inviting, and child-friendly library space filled with toys, books, games and much more. It is a terrific resource that is free for parents, child care providers, and others working with very young children. Please note that a library orientation is required. When I visited, I came away with a very informative packet of materials compiled by their talented librarian. To learn more about the Smart Start Resource Lending Library, can call them at (910) 738-6767, Ext. 295.

I received a telephone call from Kaneshi Hart, with Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina. Her organization and the Goodwill Community Foundation will hold a Community Needs Assessment, Afternoon Tea and Fashion Show on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Robeson County O.P. Owens Agriculture Center on Canton Road.

The Community Needs Assessment is a short written survey that will be completed before the fashion show. It will help identify and prioritize the social and economic needs that exist today in Lumberton and Robeson County. All surveys will be anonymous.

Fashions from Goodwill’s GCF Donation Centers and Stores will be on the runway highlighting looks from casual, to work wear, to dressy. Area volunteers will model. If you would like to volunteer to model or help with the event you can call Ms. Hart at (919) 236-9651 or Ms. Becky Lytle at (919) 281-9192.

Admission is free but seating is limited. You can pick up a ticket for this event at the Robeson County Public Library, 101 N. Chestnut St.; Robeson Church and Community Center, 600 West Fifth St.; Chamber of Commerce, 800 N. Chestnut St.; or Cakes and Pastries, 1810 N. Pine St.

Whatever your age, we hope to see you at the library. If you haven’t visited the library in a while because you have books on your card that are lost or long overdue, we miss you. Between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays we will be offering an amnesty on fines for missing books or DVDs that are returned to us in good condition. Take some time and round up those items that have loaded your account with fines and bring them back to the library. We want happy customers and materials to lend. I will tell you more on this incentive in the upcoming weeks.

— Catie Roche is the director of the Robeson County Public Library.