The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library has announced the selection of The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh as 2013 CommunityREAD book. Ms. Diffenbaugh will visit Hancock County on March 15th during CommunityREAD month for a public presentation at 7 p.m. at Winebrenner Auditorium.
The book, Diffenbaugh’s first novel, creates a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others as she struggles to overcome her difficult youth in the foster care system and adult homelessness. Copies are available at the public library.
Language of Flowers was chosen from a collection of four books by a recently selected committee of community members. CommunityREAD committee members are Linda Casey, Cindi Chasse, Margaret Dwiggins, James Darrach, Lynn Mercer, Terry Olthouse, Debbie Reynolds, Steve Roepke, Kim Stumpp and Judy Withrow.
CommunityREAD originated in 2003 by the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation to bring attention to the fact that illiteracy is an issue in Findlay and Hancock County and to help promote the HancockREADS endowment fund. Local residents are asked to read and discuss a book and its related themes with friends and family during March of each year. A YouthREADS component has also been added to the month-long event to engage students throughout the county.
With one exception, the author of each CommunityREAD book has visited Hancock County to make public presentations. Since the inception of CommunityREAD visiting authors have included, Mitch Albom, Homer Hickham, Jeanette Walls, John Grogan and Lisa Genova.
In late 2011 the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation approached the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library with a proposal to assume the administration of CommunityREAD in 2013 with financial assistance from the Community Foundation and local sponsors.