Jan. 10, 2002 – The annual meeting of the Friends of the Elaine I. Sprauve Library, set for 5 p.m. Jan. 18 at the library, will combine business with pleasure.
In addition to socializing and enjoying wine and cheese, members will vote on the 2002 board. The nominees are: Miles Stair for president, Ann Ingham for vice president, Emily Cena for secretary and Elmo L. Rabsatt Sr. for treasurer; and Myron Allick, Cheryl Boynes Jackson, Andromeada Childs, Rena Dawson, Julien Harley, Carol McGuinness and Chuck Pishko for other board seats.
The group plans to dedicate a mahogany tree in memory of Eustace Richards, who died in the last year. Richards volunteered his time for many years to help maintain the library grounds.
The Friends has about 60 members. Stair encouraged non-members who are interested in the organization to attend the annual meeting. "We love to welcome new faces into the Friends group," he said. The 2002 dues of $25 should be paid at the meeting.
Stair, who has been president for the last year, said that during that time, the Friends accomplished several significant things: It financed a summer children's program at the library, supplied books for a twice-a-week reading program run by Ingham, bought books listed for the Julius E. Sprauve School summer reading program, and added to the library video collection.
For 2002, in addition to continuing these programs, Stair said, the organization expects to get new gutters and a new roof for the library building — a greathouse built in the 1700s and restored in the late 1970s. Also on the agenda is air conditioning, which not only will make the facility more comfortable for users but also will help preserve the library's book collection. "We want to start at the top and work down," Stair said.
The Friends group holds various events to raise money. One is its annual "Love Your Library" cocktail party. The 2002 party will be at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the Battery in Cruz Bay. Stair said last year's event generated about $3,000. He said that Friends projects would not be possible without help from residents, businesses and community organizations.
For more information about the Friends annual meeting, call Stair at 776-6776.
