Spring is here, and the Toy Library is blooming FREE MEMBERSHIPS! Yes, that's right, free memberships from now until December 31, 2011.

In an effort to get our toys out into the community and increase the use of the library we are feeling generous. Anyone who has kids or looks after kids can benefit from some of our boredom busters! Playgroups, Kindergartens and Day Care Providers are also invited to take up a free years membership too!!

Borrow toys for one full year free.  Our yearly Memberships are only $20 thereafter for individuals or $80 for groups if you wish to continue.

Simply complete the membership form and post it to the Toy Library, C/- 27 Myrtle Street, Alexandra, 3714, or simply bring it along to the next borrowing session!

For the timetable for November and December 2011 timetable, click here!

Our new President lives in Alexandra and is opening the trailers at her home for some more borrowing sessions! The address is 27 Myrtle Street Alexandra, and the sessions operate from 1-2pm Wednesdays (but not in school holidays!)

As soon as we have finalised the timetable for 2012, we shall let you know!

A new Committee was elected at the AGM in August, and the Toy Library welcomes and thanks the following for volunteering!

Melissa Burns (President)
Belinda Steer (Vice President)
Maree Boyd (Treasurer)
Kathryn Goldsmith (Secretary)

"Are you playing games with me? I hope so! I love it when you play card and board games with me. Playing games together helps me to learn about life and relationships. I learn taking turns, waiting for my turn, how to follow the rules, how others react when I try to bend the rules, how it feels to win or lose, how to be a good sport, how being with my family can be fun, how to hold my own cards, how to laugh at myself, how to play games, how to think and plan and how to control myself and my reactions. Some games are played in teams, and I learn teamwork, doing it together, being fair, taking turns, contributing and participating, and how some push in and others wait and there are other games to play besides computer games" 

Taken from the Marysville Triangle Newsletter (Contact Child FIRST on 1800 663 107 if you need help and support to develop a play culture in your family). And, of course, contact the Toy Library to get access to a wide range of game and puzzles that you can do with your little ones!

Here is an article written by Maggie Dent, all about why children need to be resilient (especially in today's world), and how we can go about improving our own children's resilience. We hope you find it interesting! Click here for the article.

The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust has just provided another $18,500 to the Toy Library, being the 2nd instalment of the Bushfire Grant we applied for. Once again our sincere thanks for your generosity - we could not have established our fabulous Toy Library without your support! The money will assist us paying for the ongoing running costs of the Library, namely wages and travel expenditure.

The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust has been instrumental in providing funds to bushfire affected communities, including our wonderful Toy Library. Click here for an exert from their 2010 Annual Report regarding the Bushfire Fund.

As the trailers now only run monthly, please feel free to borrow as many toys as you would like - it will prevent the trailers from exploding! Please ensure you return the toys at the next session, or have a friend do this for you, so we can keep the toys circulating.

Don't forget the great Party Packs we have available for hire - especially as the weather starts to become abit finer! Party Packs are hired for $25 for members ($35 for non members) - click here for details. We would like to thank Melissa Burns who has put up her hand to organise the party pack borrowings, and we'd like you to keep her busy with lots of bookings! Melissa can be contacted directly on 0410 462 672, or alternativley email us through the website.

Right! Now we have your attention! Now we are open, we need volunteers to assist running the Toy Library. If you could spare some time, even just an hour or two to help us, that would be great! And no, we were only joking, you don't get paid - otherwise you wouldn't be a volunteer, would you! We need volunteers to:

Publicity Officer
Grants Officer                                                  
Executive Committee

All of these roles can be done from home in your own time. If you would like to help out, please review the "job descriptions", then contact us through the "contact us" page!

Thankyou to all of you who have volunteered so far - we can't do this without you!

Now we are up and running, we need members! Without your support, there is no point in the Toy Library operating! Volunteers are giving their time, and they love to be kept busy borrowing out all the great toys! Please give them a job to do, by turning up the next time the trailer visits your town!

Membership is only $20 per family per year!!!! If you'd like to join, see the "join the fun" page.

Our Party Packs are also available for hire for $25 - check the booking calendar on the same page to see if it is available for your special party!

Not a member yet, and not sure what the Toy Library looks like? You won't miss us coming with our fantastic trailers! Aren't they fabulous! Coming soon to you, packed full of great toys, puzzle, games, costumes and much more! Join up today!