Volunteers Joan Petre, Lorraine Wilson, and Patti Ewoldt display the eclipse book bags they received at the Volunteer Appreciation Brunch on April 8.
Dianna Lucas
Robson Library volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless. This was the message that greeted 51 library volunteers as part of the PowerPoint presentation at the recent Library Volunteer Appreciation Brunch.
The volunteers joined the Friends of the Library (FOL) board members on April 8 in the Legacy Room of the Robson clubhouse for a delicious breakfast of cheesy eggs, sausage, bacon, muffins, and fruit. As part of the celebration, each volunteer was given an attractive book bag with a picture of the eclipse to commemorate the other event that was also taking place on that day. Aside from being on the day of the eclipse, the brunch also fell during National Volunteer Month and Library Appreciation Week, the following day being Library Staff Appreciation Day.
Elaine Kushmaul, chair of FOL, started the informal program by introducing the FOL officers. She also shared a few interesting anecdotes about working in the library. Since both Elaine and Diane vanNaerssen are retired librarians, they do a lot of productive work to the great benefit of our library. Gil Clifton, Library Subcommittee chair, continued by thanking FOL for their help with the library.
The program continued as Elaine asked some of the volunteers to share a small story of a positive happening during the hours they spent volunteering in the library. One volunteer related her own personal story. She moved to Robson in 2020 when she couldn’t go out anywhere to meet people due to the pandemic. She began volunteering in the Robson Library and made her first Robson friend there. Another volunteer told of how the puzzle tables often become busy centers of activity and conversation. Even prospective residents have been drawn into the activity at these tables.
So, if you’re looking for a friend or just looking for conversation or an activity, try the library, as a patron or a volunteer. You never know who may come into your life to make it a bit more interesting.