Why cook on the Fourth of July? Everyone is invited to come and enjoy good food and fellowship at the Curdsville Community Center at its meeting on Monday at 6:30 p.m. Fried chicken will be provided by Ron Dowdy. Guests are asked to bring a favorite side dish or dessert. The Community Center is located just off U.S. Route 15 South at 122 School Road.

Dillwyn Masonic Lodge #315 will hold its meeting as scheduled on Monday at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Johnny Ewers, worshipful master, at (434) 547-5806.

The Buckingham County Ruritan Club is holding its annual cookout on Thursday, July 14 at 6 p.m. at Ellis Acres, 245 Camden St., Dillwyn. Fellowship time will be from 6-6:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:30. Please RSVP to (434) 983-7386 by July 11.

The Buckingham County Public Library in Dillwyn is changing its hours. Beginning July 7, the library will be open Thursdays from noon-9 p.m. Other days are unchanged: Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Being open at least one evening a week gives people who work during the day another opportunity to use the library. The library is also adding computer classes Thursday evenings in addition to its Wednesday morning classes. Call (434) 983-3848 for details.

The importance of young people reading during the summer when they are not in school has been the focus of recent study. Reading over the summer is incredibly important for students and their academic achievement.

Here’s why: Children who don’t read over the summer experience summer learning loss. That’s right — kids don’t just feel like they’ve forgotten some of what they’ve learned — they actually do forget it. And the effect is cumulative. Young students who lose reading skills over the summer may fall as much as two years behind their classmates by the end of sixth grade. Encouraging kids to read whatever they want helps instill a love of reading for recreation. Studies show that students who read for fun often out-perform those who don’t. There are many easy ways to encourage habits that help us all be lifelong learners. Check with the Buckingham County public library, 1140 Main St., Dillwyn, for more information about summer reading and other programs: (434) 983-3848.

In addition to providing primary health care needs, Central Virginia Health Services works to provide its patients crucial additional services. Among these are the mammography program and the Reach Out and Read program. Women who are uninsured or underinsured may be eligible to receive free screening mammograms under the Komen grant program. Dominion Resources Foundation recently provided additional funding for low income women to receive mammograms free at the Central Virginia Community Health Center, 25892 N. James Madison Highway, New Canton.

Also available is The Reach Out and Read (ROR) program that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud. For more information about any of these or other programs, call (434) 581-3271.

Janet Miller is a retired educator who enjoys poetry and painting. Her email address is janet.miller@farmvilleherald.com