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A hot holiday

By Staff | Aug 1, 2018

Volunteers made baked goods for event attendees. This is a “melting snowman” cookie.

The weather outside was hot instead of cold, but last week the Fort Myers Beach Library was filled with holiday cheer.

The library hosted its first annual “Christmas in July” celebration Wednesday and Thursday.

The two day event featured fun Christmas-themed decorations, activities and entertainment, as well as homemade snacks and games.

“Attendance was up 200 percent,” said Fort Myers Beach Library Director Leroy Hommerding. “It went very well.”

Almost 1,000 people came to the library Wednesday.

Volunteer Ceel Spuhler stamps Paula Van Heimburg's passport after she visited the Friends of the Library display.

“We’re getting people in here for the first time,” said volunteer Jan Fleming.

Once they walked through the door, event attendees got a passport filled with eight stops to make in a scavenger hunt to find locations and items in the library, like a Shakespeare bookend or the happy Buddha. Each location got a stamp, and once all eight were collected, participants could win a prize.

Hommerding kept the Christmas in July theme, including playing the vintage movie each afternoon.

“We wanted something for the residents in the summer,” he said. “We’re hoping next year to get the Chamber and more businesses involved.”

Fort Myers Beach Library Director Leroy Hommerding (pictured) was killed in 2019 by Adam Soules while preparing to open the library for a book sale. Soules was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday,

KT Cantlon and Loretta Hanyo try making a tomato cage holiday tree.

Part of the two-day fun was a passport filled with eight hidden items or locations to find in the library, including this Shakespeare bookend.