The East Bonner County Library will host its monthly Natural Connections series this Saturday, bringing free community programming to the Sandpoint Library Garden. The daylong event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1407 Church Street and welcomes all ages at no charge.
The schedule features four distinct activities designed to engage visitors with nature, wellness, and outdoor storytelling. A guided song circle led by Kelly McLean opens the day at 10 a.m., drawing on more than 25 years of experience in community music-making. At 11 a.m., Dr. Harvey Eckhart will facilitate an interactive workshop exploring the science of joy, examining how simple pleasures connect to human wellbeing.
Author Shares Lake Pend Oreille Canoe Adventures
At 12:30 p.m., author Jane Fritz will discuss her canoeing experiences across Lake Pend Oreille and her published guidebook Legendary Lake Pend Oreille. Fritz brings extensive expertise as a radio producer and podcaster for “Voices of the Wild Earth” and serves as media director for The Idaho Mythweaver nonprofit. She has worked alongside Indigenous peoples of the Columbia Plateau region for 35 years, bringing a deep understanding of the region’s cultural and environmental significance.
Fritz described her personal connection to the local landscape: “As a lover of the lake, solo canoeing and camping on our lake is what made me who I am as a person. It formed my spiritual and environmental values, my very own Thoreau experience.”
Rounding out the afternoon, Holly Pennington will lead a hands-on papier mache bowls activity beginning at 1:30 p.m., allowing attendees to create art while enjoying the garden setting.
Monthly Programming Continues Community Engagement
Natural Connections represents an ongoing monthly series through the Sandpoint Library, designed to foster community connection with the natural world and local expertise. The workshop on joy aims to deepen understanding of how nature and simple experiences contribute to mental and physical health.
Event coordinators noted that the joy workshop will “explore the fascinating science behind joy and discover why some of life’s simplest pleasures may be among the most powerful medicines available.”
The garden setting provides an ideal venue for outdoor programming during summer months, and the free-admission model ensures accessibility to all Bonner County residents. Attendees are encouraged to drop in for specific sessions or remain for the full day of activities.
What Comes Next
Those interested in attending should plan to visit the Sandpoint Library Garden on Saturday, July 11, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. No registration is required. Future Natural Connections events will continue the library’s commitment to hosting monthly community gatherings centered on nature, wellness, and local environmental storytelling.
For more information about library programming, residents can contact the East Bonner County Library directly or check the library’s event calendar online.
Related: Earlier this month, Sandpoint Bulldogs made an appearance at the July Fourth Community Parade, and Sandpoint artists are opening their garden studios July 18 to raise funds for the Bonner County Food Bank.