A new Native American tepee was set up in the Children’s Area,
but what was inside was giving children a reason to stick
around.
A new Native American tepee was set up in the Children’s Area, but what was inside was giving children a reason to stick around.
Linda Glawatz, of Gilroy, was seated on a small stool as rows of children packed into the stuffy tepee to hear her read books and tell stories.
“I was really surprised how popular this was,” Glawatz said. “The children did not want to leave and they kept asking me to read more stories.”
Glawatz has been a librarian at the Gilroy Public Library for 15 years and has attended the festival for 11 years, in which she was a volunteer for six of the festivals. In past years she has volunteered by handing out programs, served food at concession stands and helped at booths in the Children’s Area.
She says she was so excited when the festival approached her to be one of the volunteer storyteller’s. And who better to do it than Glawatz, who actually has a professional license in storytelling?
“I got the license because I believe reading is so important in children’s lives,” Glawatz said.
While the Children’s Area was filled with lots of enticing rides, kids still came to sit patiently and listen to Glawatz, who read at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. on Friday. She had different pop-up books, and used a felt board with characters on it, as she read to children the Native American fable, “Why buzzards have no feathers.” Sticking with Garlic Festival mania, she also had time to pull out a garlic story from her bag of books.
“The kids really loved the garlic story about a small town and their love of garlic,” Glawatz said.
She said it was neat to see the festival offering something different, and being a part of it made her festival experience more exciting and memorable.
“Surprisingly, I even had adults coming in and asking me to tell them a story.”
