FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2023

Columbus Library to offer cooking classes thanks to Carolina Foothills Foundation grant

COLUMBUS, N. C., (December 19, 2023) Thanks to a generous grant from Carolina Foothills Foundation, Columbus Library will offer classes for all ages using a mobile Charlie Cart kitchen starting in January. The project, titled “Bridging the Food Insecurity Gap,” is designed to equip participants with nutrition information, food safety knowledge, and food preparation skills through cooking programs.

Kids in the Kitchen, a cooking class for kindergartners to 5th graders and their families, will run throughout the winter and spring. The first three week series is planned on alternating Wednesdays starting January 17th and recipes include blood orange soda, Indian flatbread, and rustic tomato sauce.

Middle and high schoolers can learn how to prepare healthy snacks at Teen Tastebud Takeover each month. During the first program on January 24th, participants will make fresh hummus two different ways (using a blender, and a mortar and pestle).

Meatless Mondays will be on the 4th Monday each month – stop by between the hours of 2pm and 4pm for a cooking demonstration and sample of a nutritious vegetarian recipe featuring the library’s spice of the month. First up on January 22nd is Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup using crushed red pepper flakes.

Kids in the Kitchen and Teen Tastebud Takeover will have limited space and require registration. Contact Jen Pace Dickenson at 828-894-8721 x 284 or jdickenson@polklibrary.org for more information or to sign up for the kids or teen classes.

Polk County Public Libraries has two libraries, Columbus Library and Saluda Library, with books, movies, music, audiobooks, and downloadable eBooks and audiobooks available for checkout, as well as public computers and wireless internet access. PCPL also offers regularly scheduled virtual and in-person programs for all ages. To learn more, visit www.polklibrary.org.