How Did We Do?

We started this month with the news that the International Marketplace would be donating $2200 to the New Library Building Fund and moved very quickly into the Christmas Craft Fair where we had a table of many donated delights available to raise funds for the building.  Bev and Andy Mar contributed a $5,000 matching fund and the Craft Fair sales went a good way toward making that match.  Between those sales, the Christmas Donation Gift Cards, and the book sales at Sterling Bank, we were able to match slightly over half the Mar's donation by December 4th.  Neilsen's Christmas Tree Sales gift brought us up to $3,000.  And, then two additional thousand dollar donations made it complete by mid-month.

By Christmas day itself, the Building Fund also received an additional donation of $5,000 from an anonymous Point Roberts resident.  Merry Christmas, indeed.

Thanks to all who gave, who bought, who contributed, who thought good thoughts about this project throughout the month and who extended good wishes to the community's eventual success in raising the money that is needed.  This community is building a new library!

--Judy Ross, for The Friends of the Point Roberts Library

People Amaze Me

A guy posted on Point Interface a week or so ago looking for old license plates.  As it happened, we had just changed out a pair of license plates on one of our cars so we contacted him and he just came by today to pick them up.  I asked him what he was going to use them for and he described his work.  His name is Phillip Josephs and he sells the work at Kitty's.  And here's what it looks like:

So, we talked a little about it and he noticed a library fundraising sign on my front door and asked me if I was involved in raising money for the library.  I said yes, and then he said, "Are you Judy?"  And yes, I say.  And he says, "Oh, I've read about the fundraising for the new library on the net.  And you are doing pretty well?"  And we talk a little about how well the project is coming and how very much support the community is providing such that we are able to count well over $100,000 in actual money + pledges for 2013.

"Let me know if you are doing a silent auction, sometime.  I'll be happy to give you one of these signs I make."  Yes! says I.  Thank you! says I.  I so appreciate the support the new library is getting from all the friends and neighbors in all this almost 5 square miles.  It just amazes me how people step right up when they have the opportunity to do so.

--Judy Ross for The Friends of the Point Roberts Library

Christmas Trees for Libraries

Neilson's Hardware and Lumber kindly chose to donate $5.00 for every Christmas tree they sold to the New Library Building Fund.  This week, they sold the last of their trees and sent the building fund a check for $415.00.  And that amount was matched by our $5,000 Christmas Matching Fund, donated by Bev and Andy Mar.

We are coming along with that match (we are currently at almost $4,000 since December 1st), and we have a couple more weeks.  This week and next, you can come to the library on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2-3 pm and Wednesdays from 12-1 and buy a beautiful LIbrary Building Fund holiday donation card.  You can give someone else the gift of a library and have both your and their name inscribed in our new Gift Donation Book.  And your gift will be eligible for an IRS charitable donation deduction and for the December match that will double its value.

Think about a year-end gift to the library: either with a gift card to someone else, or just from yourself to yourself and to all the community who will be able to enjoy a new library here in Point Roberts.  It is truly a gift that gives back to us all.  If we give, we will receive.  Happy December!

A Little More

I forgot to include three things in yesterday's post: first, the new fundraising totals: (unofficial total) $80,000.  There are also pledges for next year and though the official totals include only money that has been received, the unofficial totals are a little looser but even there I have not included the $35,000 in pledges that have been made for next year.

Second, a reminder that Neilson's Hardware is giving the library fund $5 for each Christmas tree that it sells.  (Thank you, Lorne and Kris; thank you, buyers; thank you, trees.)  And, finally, a few people have asked me whether we still have bookmarks ($10 donation), and the answer is Yes!  Talk to Rose at the library.  She has custody of them.  And not counted but still a thing: if you are on Facebook, go to our Facebook Page and 'like' it.  That's the faster update and also you could win a permanent nametag with a fine bird on it.

https://www.facebook.com/friendsofthepointrobertslibrary

A Very Full Two Weeks

Pam Sheppard's Tiny Art Auction came, was much enjoyed, went, and netted many happy bidders some tiny art and the New Library Building Fund over $700.  This whole event was Pam's idea and she and John put in a lot of work to make it happen.  It is surely occasions like this that most strike me in this fundraising activity.  The word of wisdom in all the books I've read about fundraising say that "To raise money, you have to ask people for it."  And that is generally true, but there are yet others who just hear that there is an important need and and they then just act.   They are a minority, but we are especially grateful to each of them and to Pam and John who are definitely among them.

It seemed as if no time had passed after that event until the Christmas Craft Fair.  It was a beautiful two days and we had a table laden with pieces that were donated by various artists and craftsperson here on the Point and even from a bit away.  My neighbor's mother, who is a leatherworker and who lives in Saskatchewan sent us a leather bag and a tiny pair of deer skin shoes, both of which went out into the world that weekend.  A silk scarf woven in Nepal, beautiful photo prints and jewelry, fabric goods, fiber art and knitted accessories of all kinds joined them.  The entire two days brought over $2,200 to the Library Fund. And we thank the donors, the sellers, and the buyers!

And then, another two days passed and Phyllis Van Sant (who was in charge of the counting) told us that the grocery receipt totals from the International Marketplace would bring us yet another $2,200.  To all of you who saved and dropped your receipts into the boxes, Canadian and U.S. residents alike, whoopee!  Perhaps the International Marketplace will be willing to do it again next year.

We also sold Christmas/Holiday Gift Cards at the Craft Fair so that those who want to make a "Gift of a Library" to a friend, a family member or even to themselves may do so.  The minimum gift is $25.  Each gift will be recorded in the Gift Donation Book and will name both the giver and the recipient for our permanent/historical record of how this community built a new library.  The cards will continue be on sale at the library from 2pm to 3 pm every day that the library is open until Christmas.  Or if you need to make other arrangements, write us at foprl1@gmail.com.

May the remainder of the month be filled with good times and loving experiences and not too much rich food!  It is cold and grey and windy often, but it is also the great holiday season of our year.  We should enjoy!

And thanks for all your help and support, this month and all the previous months of the year that is about to pass away from us.

--Judy Ross, for The Friends of the Point Roberts Library