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A Lifetime of Volunteers Recognized at PV Library Anniversary Celebration
Karin Greenfield-Sanders receives Virginia Connolly Community Service Award
by Edward Paul Greiff
 | | Top: The unveiling of the 70th Anniversary Benefactors Plaque, Gary Becker, Anniversary cake, George Olsen, Simply Bagels owner Robert Fuchs and Gina Fuchs, Fran Capo, Randall Chiera, and the 2007 Town Day Committee, recipients of the Harriet Gair Community Spirit Award. |
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It may have been a Putnam Valley Library 70th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, September 30, 2007 but the real stars of the party were the dozens of volunteers honored for their service to the library over those 70 years. When Board Trustee President Elaine Sanders introduced many of the award recipients and spoke about their many years of service to the library it clearly brought the message home of just how long so many Putnam Valley residents have been tirelessly working to help the library grow and develop into the community's intellectual center.
There were so many recognized that the award ceremony may have seemed a bit lengthy. But if you were one of the volunteers being honored it was worth it. Current Trustee Treasurer George Olsen said that in all the years he has been volunteering this is the first time he is being recognized and it was appreciated.
Another reminder of just how long this volunteering has been going on became apparent when Sanders presented an award to Ed Hertzel for his Town Day efforts and then added "Ed was one of my students in school."
The other human element that makes the library is its staff. Pat Vandevelde said, "It's the staff that is the face of the library. They make the library a warm friendly place to visit and receive help from a human being not an automated machine. When you combine these human elements, volunteers and staff you extend the library's services out into the community and make the library the intellectual hub of the town." And with such talent available it's no wonder the 70th Anniversary party was a huge "Five Star" success.
The Swamptones - with John Allen on the violin, his wife on the triangle, and John Santo on the guitar - warmed up the crowd with a little Cajun Folk music. While on the sidelines tables of bagels, cheese and crackers, vegetables and dips, free wine and soda were being set up.
Then it was time to stir things up a bit and that they did when Gary Becker introduced Buddy Merriam and his Back Roads Bluegrass Band. Buddy and his band have been featured on the Grand-Ole-Opera in Nashville, and appear on television regularly. Once they started playing there wasn't a still foot in the room.
While Buddy and his band were playing two young ladies moved amongst the audience with trays of hors d'oeuvres and snack food to take the edge off your appetite. There was a constant flow of food.
The band took a break and more awards were handed out. Randall and Ame Chiera presented the Valerie Chiera Memorial Home School Collection in memory of Valerie's passion for home schooling.
The Virginia Connolly Community Service Award went to Karin Greenfield-Sanders, the library Service award to Don Grasser, the Harriet Gair Community Spirit award went to the 14 members of the Town Day Committee. A host of former Trustees, current Trustees, and volunteers received Library Recognition awards for their years of dedicated service to the library.
To break up the awards and provide a change of pace a fascinating young man named Chaim O'Brien was introduced. He displayed his unusual collection of books such as a First Edition of Peanuts written in Japanese. He also had a collection of unusual items left in books the strangest being a slice of raw bacon.
Buddy Merriam and his Back Roads Bluegrass Band returned for another set. While they played a hot buffet was served out on the lawn under a large tent.
Unfortunately the crowd was beginning to thin out before the guest speaker took the stage. But for those who stuck it out they were treated to a great new gem living in Putnam Valley her name is Fran Capo and what a talent she is. When Gary Becker introduced her he read off some of her accomplishments: the Guinness Book of Records world's fastest talking woman (603 words per minute), the only author to have a book signing on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, toured the Titanic on the bottom of the ocean, written numerous books and has her own television show. She's also a stand-up comedienne. The Putnam Valley library crowd listening to her had tears rolling down their face from laughter.
Finally it was time to cut the Anniversary Cake, have a cup of coffee and say goodnight. As the guests left they congratulated the Trustees and Library staff and everyone else that was around for planning and executing the vent. It truly proves what a positive asset the Library is to the Town.
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