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Letter from the President
We are terribly sorry for the cancellation of this year's annual holiday basket raffle and cookie tin sale. Here is why:
A little more than 7 years ago I, Siegi, took over from outgoing Friends of the Rowley Library president Tim Young. Tim was also a 1999-2004 building project committee member and major donor fundraiser to build and fund our current library. I had very big shoes to fill. Only having been the Friends Secretary for just 2 years with Tim as President and without previous board experience, combined with being a busy mom and business owner, I was a bit scared. I had an absolutely wonderful time serving as president for the 7 years and hope I've left a little mark on our community. It's very hard to fill board positions these days with everyone having busy lives and few people willing to step up voluntarily and readily. I thank everyone for their patience and teaching me the ropes at times on how to properly do things on a board. I want to thank the Rowley community of volunteers, donors and buyers at our fundraising events for all the support you've given me and subsequently the Friends, all these years. My deep gratitude goes out to everyone who served with me on the Friends Board, long-term serving treasurer Steve Markarian, VP Alex Hanscom and Secretary Andrea Casalini who recently took over for Laura Kopinski. You have been a fun, enthusiastic, supportive and super creative board. I want to thank the awesome and friendly staff of our library. I wish the new, incoming Friends Board tremendous success going forward. Trustees, thank you for all of your support and letting the Friends leave a very big and unique stamp on our library with the approval of the filtered water filling station, lobby tree mural for Friends donations, pollinator garden, refurbished garden benches, new folding meeting room tables among other things. The Friends Board fundraised passionately adding a 2nd, fall book sale and cookie tin sale. Our extensive fundraising efforts allowed us to give around $10,000 annually to support children's and adult programming. Stay tuned from the library about search efforts to form a new board. Some previous board people may stay on. Unfortunately, one very beloved annual event, namely the basket raffle, fizzled out. I had a family death overseas recently and was taken away during this critical time to push and find enough donors again. Hopefully, the event will happen again next year. I also couldn't dedicate enough time for cookie baking and driving the beloved cookie tin sale this holiday season. I am very, very, very sorry for that. May the light of your holiday season be bright and happy regardless. See you around town, dear neighbors.
In deep appreciation, Sieglinde Aigner-Crooks aka Siegi
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