(From the August 2018 Circle of Friends Newsletter)
The year seems to be flying by. I can hardly believe we’re almost done with July! It continues to be a very busy and productive year for the Friends, with pop-up sales and special sales in additional to our on-going work in the bookstore and at our three yearly big sales. We continue to increase our memberships and to reach out to let the community know more about our organization.
I realized the other day that we are the only bookstore in Castro Valley that offers a range of choices: novels, biographies, mysteries, children’s books, non-fiction and more! I encourage all of you to shop in the store and at our sales when you want to purchase a book before you go to other communities and before you order on-line. Our prices are extremely low (so you can always find a great deal!) and we have some wonderful books, including many that are “gift quality.”
I am happy to report that we have added a few enthusiastic new volunteers since the last newsletter, including some who can help with weekend shifts. This is good news indeed, but we still need a few more. If you are interested, please pick up a Volunteer Application at the BookStore. Once you complete the form and turn it in to the store, someone will contact you to set up an orientation and training session.
On June 6, we had our annual pizza lunch for the library staff and our BookStore volunteers. It’s always a great opportunity to get to know each other better. Delicious pizza, homemade cookies, and good conversation made for a very enjoyable event!
On a sad note, in recent months we have lost two long-time Friends. Lorraine Gill, former Vice President of the Friends, passed away in early April after a long illness. And Diane George, webmaster of the Friends’ web site, died in mid-May. Diane also taught many of the library’s computer classes, and she and her husband taught the popular genealogy class. Both Diane and Lorraine devoted many hours to the Friends and contributed in important ways behind the scenes. They will be missed.
Kay Wetherwax, President
Friends of the Castro Valley Library