Notes from Friends: October 2025
Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week with us October 19th thru 25th by attending our quarterly meeting Thursday, October 23, at 5:00 when we will discuss our final fundraiser of the year, Celebration of the Holidays (formerly called Celebration of the Trees) and other business.
We are fortunate to have a group of dedicated volunteers who answer the call to help for the many activities and fundraisers we sponsor all year. Becoming a Friend of SADL is easy! Just fill out the form hanging on our bulletin board and turn in to the Circulation Desk to be contacted. No dues! You can volunteer a few hours or as many as you want to support our Shelby Library. We are flexible! We meet quarterly but meetings are not a prerequisite to membership. Coming up, you can help out at home on your own time to create a display for Celebration of the Holidays, bake cookies, or donate seasonal items to be repurposed for the silent auction. If you want to be more actively involved and interact with other volunteers, your participation is welcome, especially during the week of November 18 when we set up displays, sell items, and clean up at the conclusion of the Silent Auction. This community event needs many volunteers for our biggest fundraiser of the year!
The 30th Celebration of the Holidays opens for bids November 18 – 22. The silent auction of decorated trees, wreaths, table displays, Christmas décor, and themed baskets will offer unique ways to brighten your home or share as gifts this holiday season. A table of priced items will also be available. The Silent Auction ends Saturday, November 22 at noon and winning bidders will be contacted by phone. If you would like to create a holiday display, decorate an artificial Christmas tree or wreath to be silent auctioned, we need you for Celebration of the Holidays! For the past several years, we have had families, classrooms, businesses, individuals, children, and even a senior day care center participate to turn our Shelby Library into a glittering, colorfully lit setting of Holiday Joy!
Download and return the Participation Form to the Circulation desk, or contact me directly at [email protected] for more information. Entry forms are due November 10 with displays ready to set up on Monday, November 17 in the library. We also need volunteers to assist by baking cookies, helping with set up, taking bids by phone, and more by signing up at the circulation desk.
In other news, the elected leadership for Friends of Shelby Library met in September to discuss our goals for the future, how we see our roles as board members, what changes we might make including collaboration with other Friends groups in our area like Pentwater. The meeting was productive with ideas to be shared at the October 23 meeting. Current Board and Officers are President Cindy McKinnon, Vice-president Julie McKeen, Secretary Sharon Zoller, Treasurer Kathy Sullivan, Directors Mary Ann Cary, Mary Ellen Heyde, Paula Inglis, Janet Schultz, and Libby Brouwer.
–Cindy McKinnon
President, Friends of Shelby Area District Library