That's What Friends Are For

The community of Belleville needs a new public library. The current building is not big enough to provide the spaces and services Belleville residents need. People said in our community survey the library needs a larger story time area, a larger book and DVD collection, more computers, and a variety of spaces from small study rooms to large meeting areas for community groups and library events.
To support this vision, the Friends of the Belleville Public Library have been working hard to raise money for the building project. The Friends have served ice cream at Music in the Park, hosted fall Trivia Nights, provided Paint Nights where anyone can be an artist and leave with their own masterpiece, sold soup at Fall Fest, sponsored an auction of donated baskets in April, and expanded their twice-annual book sales. Thanks to a former Friends board member, the group received a $3,000 community grant from ProAssurance of Madison.
The Friends fundraising has been a community effort.  We would like to thank UB&T for making donations to pay for ice cream for Concerts in the Park every year; bakers who made pies and other treats to serve with the ice cream; Jean Hodel and Judy Bacha, who donated delicious strawberries; everyone who donated books for the book sales; community organizations and businesses who donated items for the basket auction; Jean Kringle and Pat Manion, who taught us all how to be amateur artists at our Paint Nights; Mark Schwoegler for letting us use the bowling alley for Trivia Nights; library staff who take donations and registrations for events and do many other things that support the Friends group; and community members who join and support Friends through giving money and/or time.
In addition to raising money for the building, the Friends organization continues to support library programs and services. Friends contribute funds for summer reading performers and adult events like author Michael Perry. The Friends also provide story time and children’s programming materials and supplies.
Last November, the Friends pledged $10,000 to the building campaign to be paid over the next five years. With great volunteer effort, the Friends have already fulfilled this pledge in under a year and will be making a new pledge this fall.
We would like you to join us in this mission. Volunteers are needed to serve ice cream, set up for Trivia and Paint Nights, bake for National Library Week, sort books for the sales, as well as host and staff many events during the year.
Come to the next Friends meeting, Tuesday, September 5th, at 5:00 p.m., at the Library. What ideas, skills, and talents could you contribute to our goal? Help us plan an exciting year of fundraising events and programs. For more information, call Friends President, Dawn Hayslett, at (608) 636-5034, visit the Friends page on the Library’s website or stop by the Library. We want to help build a wonderful new community library. After all, according to singer/songwriter Steve Goodman, “that’s what Friends are for.”