Look at the wonderful article from our local newspaper the Winters Express announcing our Big Day of Giving campaign and letting people know that the donations can begin now!
Big Day of Giving WFoL Donations Begin Today ( published on 4/18/18)
By Emma Johnson
Wednesday, Apr. 18, is the first day to schedule advanced donations for the annual Big Day of Giving event, which takes place on Thursday, May 3. This year, the Winters Friends of the Library (WFoL) is raising funds for a series of exciting updates to the local library.
The Big Day of Giving, also known as Big DOG, is a 24-hour fundraising challenge for regional charities. This year WFoL is aiming to raise $20,000.
As the Winters Community Library approaches its tenth anniversary in the new building, the staff have taken into account the growing needs of the community.
Over 70% of Winters residents hold a library card, and collectively the city made over 100,000 visits to the library in 2017. Many visitors use the library’s bank of computers. In the past year alone Winters residents logged over 9,000 sessions at the computer terminals.
After seeing that Internet access is an obvious need, the library is committed to ensuring that people have better access to the computers. More computers will be added to the main library, and a number of computers and laptops will be added to the children’s section as well.
The computers in the children’s section will be available to parents who need to work while visiting the library with young children. This will enable people to access the computers while their children play, and will free up more terminals in the main bank.
WFoL is also supporting the library in updating the facilities for the needs of high school students. Several carrels will be added in order to create a space where students can study with minimal distraction.
How to Donate:
Beginning on Wednesday, Apr. 18, people can begin making advanced donations to WFoL through Big DOG. These payments will be processed at midnight on Thursday, May 3, the fundraiser’s official start time.
For every $25 that a person donates, they will receive one virtual ticket which will be entered into the drawing for this year’s WFoL basket. The basket will be filled with prizes from WFoL and their community partners.
Visit bigdayofgiving.org/wfol to make a donation.
What is WFoL?
WFoL is probably most visible when they walk the Youth Day parade as a flashily dressed marching band in coordinated costumes. When they aren’t practicing their parade dance moves, WFoL is dedicated to providing support to library programs, promoting library involvement, and increasing literacy in the community.
On any given evening a visitor the Winters Community Library might see a meeting hosted in the Margaret Parson’s room, listen to a docent lead a lively story time, or overhear an elementary school student reading to an attentive therapy dog.
WFol raises funds to support programs like these. On top of that they replace worn out library furniture, buy new materials and update library technology.
WFoL also supports a host of programs that take place outside of the library, like the Summer Gazebo Concert series and Books for Babies. The weekly concerts in July connect people with local musicians and host an average audience of 300 people a year. Books for Babies, which sends picture books, an infant t-shirt and a knitted hat to Winters’ youngest residents, also provides new parents with information on the importance of reading to their child from a young age.
Visit wfol.org for more information about the nonprofit, and visit bigdayofgiving.org/wfol to make a donation
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