GR library hosts board game day

For many children, gaming often involves the use of their thumbs, a television and whatever video game console is popular with that child's group of friends.

Saturday, at the Sweetwater County Library, children had a chance to play games around a table and not plugged into the wall. The library hosted an event celebrating International Board Game Day, with stations set up across the library featuring board and card games. The two starring attractions were a massive rendition of Candy Land, and a life-sized version of the arcade game Pac-Man.

Becky Iwen, youth services director at the library, said they decided to host the event because they liked the idea of people across the world playing games together. She hopes to include games from other countries next year to help solidify it as an international event.

Candy Land was especially popular with children and groups as they eagerly made their way through the children's section of the library, which was decorated with candy-shaped props and squares representing the different game tiles. Iwen said she believes the library will give the same treatment to Chutes and Ladders next year.