Avon Free Public Library

Join us for a virtual author event to celebrate Asian 
American and Pacific Islander month; we’ll be celebrating the release of
 Susan Ankeny’s new book, Fly Girl. 
A uniquely hidden figure, Hazel Ying Lee was a pioneering
 trailblazer in the history of WWII, aviation, women, the military, and 
America, yet her inspiring story and extraordinary accomplishments have 
been unheralded and ignored. The only book to focus on an Asian 
American female aviator, American Flygirl (on sale April 23, 2024) breaks
 this silence, illuminating the structural and racial barriers Lee faced
 to become the first Asian American woman to earn a pilot’s license, 
join the WASPs, and fight for this country amid widespread anti-Asian 
sentiment and racist policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and 
Japanese internment camps.
The book’s release coincides with AAPI Heritage Month, which is 
observed throughout May to recognize the contributions and influence of 
Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, 
and achievements of the United States.
Hazel came of age at a time in America where Asians were subjected to
 unjust discrimination and denied the rights granted to Euro-Americans. 
The years between 1882-1943 are known as the Exclusion Era in Oregon.. 
Most occupations outside Chinatown were not open to them, and many 
places of business were completely off-limits. Every Chinese American, 
even children who were born in the United States, was required to carry 
identification – and it was worse for Chinese women, who endured layers 
of biases and widespread discrimination.
Yet a new age was dawning, and for the first time, the idea that more
 than child-rearing and homemaking might be available to women began to 
take root. Some women, brave enough to go against convention, found 
themselves willing and eager to exchange traditional roles to become 
pilots and explore new opportunities in aviation. A fire was lit in 
Hazel that would change the course of her life.
Susan Tate Ankeny (Portland, OR) is the author of nonfiction WWII history books including American Flygirl and The Girl and the Bombardier.
 A former educator, she is a member of the Oregon 8th Air Force 
Historical Society and the Association des Sauveteurs d’Aviateurs 
Alliés, which finds and memorializes WWII crash sites in France. The 
daughter of a WWII bombardier and great-granddaughter of Oregon 
pioneers, she lives in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at <a href="https://susantateankeny.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://susantateankeny.com/</a>.
Co-sponsored by the Avon Library &amp; Avon Historical Society.
Please register; Zoom links will go out before the event.

Local Event: American Flygirl: Author Event with Susan Ankeny (virtual)

Avon

Connecticut

American Flygirl: Author Event with Susan...

Wednesday May 1, 2024: Join us for a virtual author event to celebrate Asian 
American and Pacific Islander month; we’ll be celebrating the...

American Flygirl: Author Event with Susan Ankeny (virtual)

Starting annuals from seed can be a great way to produce a large number of plants for the garden while reducing the cost of purchasing seedlings. It can also introduce a wider selection of plants than what is available in garden centers in spring. This talk will discuss plant selections, materials needed, and scheduling including which annuals are good to start indoors.
Presenter: Felicia Millett is a Plant Diagnostician at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Plant Disease Information Office in New Haven. She holds the Connecticut Arborist’s License and received her master’s degree in Plant Science from the University of Connecticut, where her research focused on fire blight on apple trees.

Local Event: (In-Person Event) Growing Annuals from Seed

(In-Person Event) Growing Annuals from Seed

Tuesday May 14, 2024: Starting annuals from seed can be a great way to produce a large number of plants for the garden while reducing the...

The Original Fly Girls: A History of the Women Airforce Service Pilots
During World War II more than one thousand American women served as 
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) in support of the war effort. 
These pioneering women faced discrimination from the U.S. military and 
American society, and because their records were sealed after the war, 
their contributions to aviation were lost to history for decades. This 
lecture will chronicle the stories of these remarkable pilots who broke 
barriers and paved the way for future generations of American women to 
take to the skies.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Amanda Goodheart Parks is a 
historian whose work has been featured by the History Channel, awarded 
by the American Alliance of Museums, and displayed at historic sites 
across New England. She earned her Ph.D from the University of 
Massachusetts Amherst and she specializes in the history of women and 
gender.
Please register so we can set the community room up with appropriate spacing.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Avon Library.

Local Event: The Original Fly Girls: A History of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (in-person)

The Original Fly Girls: A History of the Women...

Wednesday May 22, 2024: The Original Fly Girls: A History of the Women Airforce Service Pilots
During World War II more than one thousand...

The Original Fly Girls: A History of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (in-person)

Connecticut’s citizens are blessed with the rich diversity of wildlife in the state. The “Living with Connecticut’s Wildlife” presentation focuses on how to live with and enjoy our wild neighbors. Species covered include Black Bears, Eastern Coyote, Bobcat, Fisher, Raccoon, Skunk, Virginia Opossum, Red and Gray Fox, Woodchuck, White-Tailed Deer, birds, bats, venomous and non-venomous reptiles, and amphibians.
Presenter: Paul Colburn is a 2015 graduate of the Connecticut Master Wildlife Conservationist Program (MWCP) and a certified Master Wildlife Conservationist (MWC). The MWCP is a Connecticut Department of Energy &amp; Environmental Protection (DEEP) adult education program that trains volunteers in the fields of wildlife management, natural history and interpretation. Paul is a dedicated advocate for wildlife and is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others. He is particularly focused on teaching the basics of living responsibly with wildlife. Paul has provided hundreds of wildlife presentations for a wide variety of public and private organizations in all corners of the state. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and served honorably in the United States Army.

Local Event: (In-Person Event) Living with Connecticut’s Wildlife

(In-Person Event) Living with Connecticut’s...

Thursday May 30, 2024: Connecticut’s citizens are blessed with the rich diversity of wildlife in the state.  The “Living with Connecticut’s...

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Posting Activity

Local Event

American Flygirl: Author Event with Susan Ankeny (virtual)

Local Event

(In-Person Event) Growing Annuals from Seed

Local Event

The Original Fly Girls: A History of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (in-person)

Local Event

(In-Person Event) Living with Connecticut’s Wildlife

1-Day Norfolk Estate Tool Sale

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