The annual Fernie Heritage library volunteer appreciation dinner was held on Monday, June 1 in the Fireside room of the Park Place Lodge, Max Restaurant.

New Board chair Angie Abdou thanked everyone for their continued support, especially the City of Fernie and Council members.

She thanked outgoing chair Camilla Merritt for eight years of service to the board saying “she made the job look easy but I don’t know if I will ever be up to her”. She added that volunteers as very important for all they contribute to the library, and that they have helped to make the Library the “living room of the community with everything that is offered there”.

Angie then introduced me and as Mayor I acknowledged and thanked the volunteers, board members and staff on behalf of the City of Fernie.

Library director Emma Dressler said this Library is one of the oldest in the province and it was started by volunteers. “Volunteers aren’t compensated, they have no perks”.

She said “Our volunteers are our community, they represent the community and bring the needs and fresh approach and perspective from the community to us. All of you have been invited this evening because of the work you do to make the library the very special place it is. Tonight,we come together to celebrate everyone on the team. The library would not be what it is, would not be able to serve the community, without you, our volunteers and staff. Some have been with the library for many years, decades in fact, and others are new. The work of all is what makes the library the vibrant, relevant place it is today. We have weekly library volunteers, volunteers who assist on special projects, the library trustees, the library staff and members of the municipal government.

Welcome Mayor Mary Giuliano – Mary has been a passionate library supporter for many years. She has been a volunteer, a patron and a trustee. She has also planned this event for more than two decades – thank you Mary!”

Emma went on to give a history of volunteers and the role they hold, saying “Volunteers have been at the library since the founding of the first incarnation of the library in 1899 when the library was the Fernie Reading Room, to 1920 when the Fernie Public Library Association was formed, to becoming the Fernie Centennial Library in 1967, and then in 1999, the Fernie Heritage Library. The library’s mission is to enrich lives and community. What you might not realize is how important volunteers are in our work to build community.

Now what do our volunteers do? What is the common thread? They do a ton of work! Volunteers in the library shelve books; they repair books; they sort magazines; they read shelves (in other words, put them back in order); they weed the library garden; they move books; they assist with events; they assist with fundraising … the many ways in which volunteers support the library are endless. The library was founded with its volunteers and today volunteers continue to be integral to library operations.

Staff:
As well as the volunteers, most of the staff was in attendance. Start with Heather – Heather retired after more than 20 years at the library and we miss her!

We have the best library staff in the world. Thank you to Marilyn Razzo, Tina Hayes, Jeanette Sedgwick, Mary and Hayley and Anie Hepher for continuing to build the library team. Thank you also to our newest staff members – Sarah Buchan, Lindsay Snea, Genevieve Bee, and Helene Morohic.

Recognize each volunteer: In alphabetical order Lynda Bird has volunteered for the library for almost four years. Retired teacher who brings a broad skill set. Great supporter of the Arts, attends Booked!, takes time to get to know everyone in the library. Brings Dave too!

Mary Elson has been volunteering at the library for three years. When we think of Mary, we think of the word “lovely.” She quietly sorts the shelves. Quiet but effective.

Mary Giuliano has been volunteering for the library for 32 years! Mary is our best advocate, someone who truly believes in the value of the library. Mary constantly challenges us to make the library the best place it can possibly be.

Marty Hafke, bartender extraoirdinaire, two years, has not missed a Booked! Event. Not every library is fortunate to have its own bartender!

Annette Harrison, has been volunteering for the library for almost six years. Another former teacher who manages to fit volunteering into her extremely busy schedule. Positive happy energy every day.

Betty Johnson has been volunteering at the library for over a decade as a trustee, and now as an active weekly volunteer. I love when Betty volunteers. Loves a good discussion. Brings love of travelling and keen interest in the world to us. Also a lover of gardening. Betty has been getting books for her mother, also a great reader, for year. Betty is a great advocate for the causes she supports.

Lorrie Kremer is in her second year. She is an eager volunteer who is here in the shoulder season. Very positive energy. Just pops in, does her job, and disappears until the next time.

Judy Little, very special volunteer, Board secretary and Friends secretary, wise woman and gardener.

Kevin MacIsaac has been volunteering for the past couple of years. I know that in theory computers are supposed to be ruled by logic, but I think that perhaps maybe even Kevin is starting to see our computers may be haunted.

Randal Macnair, along with library trustee Angie Abdou, has been a key organizer for the Booked! Fernie Author Series events that we are now running. Randal has worked very hard on every aspect of the events. Anne Majic , long history with the library as a great fundraiser and special projects.

Mary Martin has been volunteering for the library for more than twenty years. Mary is one of our volunteers that so adds to the library. Willing to do odd tasks.

John Merritt, special jobs

Angela Morgan, Friends

Cindy Pace has been volunteering at the library for about five years. Townie. Friday afternoon happy volunteer, avid reader and brings treats.

Micheline Picard is in her second year of volunteering at the library. Micheline is the senior we all aspire to be. ‘Energetic and elegant,’ Always up for a stimulating conversation.

Meg Prentice has volunteered for 18 years at the library. Magazines, Meg creates order out of the 80 print magazines. Thanks to Meg we have caught missing magazines and other problems with subscriptions.

Stephanie Saumur, volunteering for almost six years. Volunteers in the busiest shift of the week!! Stephanie volunteers on Tuesday morning, a shift not for the faint of heart! Somehow she does it.

Terry Tomboso is in her second year as a volunteer. So much fun. Wealth of information about Fernie and Fernie’s history. Great sense of humour and loves helping out with author events. Been coming to the library since it was just in the reference room. As well as helping with special events, Terry has transformed the Reference Room.

Joe Warshawsky, city liaison, long history of volunteering for the library. Joe is a strong advocate for the library. I love his questions and his perspective.

Ingrid Weisenback–recently moved away and we miss her.

As well as these volunteers, we also have the library trustees. This group of people works behind the scenes to ensure the library is run to the highest standard.

Tonight we recognize trustees who have left the board.

Camilla Merritt is our library chair. With Camilla (Min) the library has become a professional organization with a strong board, a working strategic plan, a more secure financial position, and a strong player in the provincial library world.

Trustee Sylvia Ayers is a trustee who really believes in her role as a community advocate.

Stephen Gort brings a dry intelligent sense of humour to board meetings and is never afraid to ask questions.
Adam Macdonald, a writer, teacher, and father of little one, brings a wonderful perspective to meetings.

Current trustees
Our Chair is Angie Abdou, who is simply the best advocate we could ever have imagined having on the library team.

Anna Piney brings her extensive experience with numbers to her role as treasurer.

Todd Fyfe is a trustee who bring a business person’s eye to the board.

Charlotte Ezaki, a senior and resident of Area B, asks great questions and is an important part of the board.
Mark Lento brings a community perspective, the perspective of ‘old Fernie’ to the board.

New trustees:
Shelby Knutsen, Karla Germaine, James Heavey

I would like to thank the City of Fernie for all of its support of the library. We are fortunate to have the supportive Mayor and Council we have. Thank you to the City for being our partners.

Please join me as I thank all of you for all of the work you do for the library. We simply would not be that living room of the community – a place that enriches lives and community.

Together we can continue to be a welcoming place for discovery, inspiration and recreation.