Image by NBC via ScoopWhoop
No,
not those friends.
Our Friends have been
kickin it since the ‘90s as well, volunteering their time and raising money to
help make awesome stuff like this happen:
Oldsmar Public Library Zombie Night 2018. Image Courtesy of Forrest Williams.
Throughout history, public
libraries have always depended upon the generosity of their volunteers. In fact,
Oldsmar Library was founded by volunteers back in 1919 and run that way for
over fifty years. Today, the Friends of the Library are still rock stars, providing
such sweetness as:
- Goodies for Summer Reading Kickoff and the End of the Summer Shindig.
- Makeup for our Gruesome Zombies and Food to Revive their Spirits.
- A Nintendo Switch and Wii for our Monthly Teen Game Night.
- $3500 for Playaway Tablets to Enchance our Children's Learning.
- Furniture for the Children's Department.
- The Little Lending Libraries throughout Oldsmar for Reciprocal Donations.
- And Finally Cakes, for Staff Birthdays to Boost Morale! YAY CAKE!!!
Image
by Sarah Mirabile via Pinterest
Forrest Williams, who’s been
volunteering at the Oldsmar Library for over a decade now, explains how
important the Friends really are:
“A
lot of people don’t realize what we do, in terms of the money we receive,” he
says. “Especially from our book sales. It’s all 100% volunteer led, and there
are no plaques. Nobody knows. We do it for the library.”
Image by Hallmark via Facebook
In addition to the
financial support, the Friends give freely of their time, hosting various
author events, helping with children’s and teen programs, and more recently planning
their first Community Craft Fair, happening on Saturday, November 10, which features
hand-made crafts from local residents as well as several large ticket raffles
and craft activities for kids. At the end of the day, the Friends’ primary
drive is to create and support events that enhance learning and enrich the
cultural interaction for residents of Oldsmar.
“It’s
the expression on the kid’s faces,”
member
Steven Lavelle explains, when asked why he continues to volunteer his time as a
Friend. “The sheer joy of the seniors at our events. That’s why I do it.”
Image by Nickelodeon via Tenor
So, I know what
you’re thinking. These people are like, totes awesome, right? How can I possibly get involved with such a fab organization?!
Well,
in addition to purchasing from our Used Book Sale and making a tax-deductible donation,
YOU, that’s right YOU can join these
awesome people!
Becoming
a Friend to Oldsmar Public Library gets you such perks as:
- Invitations to exclusive Friend’s soirees and volunteer appreciation events.
- The opportunity to brainstorm fundraisers and programs for the library, then deciding how to handle the funds afterward.
- Making a genuine difference in the day-to-day functioning of the library and its programs by volunteering at our various events.
Yearly
Membership Dues are marked at the low, low price of only $8 ($5 if you’re a senior and $12
for a family).
Or
you can play high roller for this 501c3 tax-deductible organization and donate $50 for a leaf on our tree of donors or
$100 for a life-time membership with
the Friends.
You
can even make a donation in honor of a loved one or request a specific book be
purchased for the library with your contribution. We’ll add a name plate so we
can remember your awesome generosity for decades to come.
So really, at this point, there’s only one question left
to ask . . .
Image by April
HalloWensel via Twitter
Written by Brittany Baum
