Notes From Friends: May 2024
Our annual Free Plant Giveaway and Garden Sale will take place on June 1 from 9 am to Noon on the Library grounds and gazebo. We need your donations of garden tools, pots, plants, yard art, birdhouses, and other outdoor items dropped off at the library May 28 through the morning of June 1. Chairperson, Diana Clark, and our Friends gardener, Kathy Shea, will be culling plants from the Friends Library Garden and handing them out to eager hands the morning of June 1. Volunteers to help on Saturday are needed so please sign up at the circulation desk or contact Diana at 231-861-2204. Our garden sale is a wonderful community event where you can share your extra plants with others, trade garden secrets, or pick up a few tools. Donation jars for your cash will be available as this is also a fundraiser that helps sustain our Library Garden. Arrive early for best selection of free plants! Garden themed baskets on display in mid-May at the library will be silent auctioned until June 1 as part of our Garden event. Stop by and place your bids!
At our April quarterly meeting of Friends of S.A.D.L. we reelected the current officers and board with the addition of Janet Schultz to the board. Thank you all for volunteering to serve for two more years! In other business, the Friends approved the purchase of 20 wire easels, spring/fall craft kits, and 300 class visit kits. The Friends also approved the cost of spring clean-up of the garden and were pleased with the work by Alex Katt! Our volunteer Friends are ordering t-shirts with the new logo at a cost of $15.00 each. Contact me at [email protected] if you would like to order one.
Following the April 18 meeting, the Friends of S.A.D.L. welcomed local author, Barbara Bull who spoke to a packed crowd of admirers about her many published books. Refreshments included Connie Near’s delicious home baked cookies and coffee. At the close of the author talk, Barbara was presented with a live orchid plant to thank her for a wonderful evening enlightening the audience about the rigors of writing, editing, and publishing her books.
The annual Friends of Michigan Libraries (FOML) meeting held April 11 was attended by Janet Schultz, Julie McKeen and myself at the Library of Michigan in Lansing. Following the business meeting, Debbie Mikula, executive director of Michigan Library Association, gave an excellent presentation on the right to read with emphasis on how libraries are coping with recent attempts to ban books in various communities. The afternoon session included opportunities to meet in small discussion groups with other Friends of Michigan Libraries and share ideas.
With sadness we report the recent passing of Madeline Fross, a friend and patron of our library who enjoyed spending time at the family cottage in Michigan, and appreciated our Shelby Library. Our condolences are extended to her family. See you June 1 at our annual Free Plant Giveaway/Garden Sale!
Cindy McKinnon
President, Friends of S.A.D.L.