You can’ t do much more to celebrate the holidays than put on a Christmas tree festival, and for the past 13 years that’ s what Friends of the Bridgeville Public Library has done as a major annual fundraiser.
It’ s the one constant of an organization with a 30-year history that has had to change with the times to stay vibrant and grow to ensure its future.
Current Friends President Janet Nock, who’ s been involved with the organization since 2004, said she only agreed to lead the group if members were willing to make the hard changes necessary to ensure its survival. Part of those changes included shuttering a used bookstore, which had been a staple of the Friends’ fundraising efforts but was no longer keeping pace with the used book market to be profitable.
“ The bookstore did well for many years. They had a lot of volunteers, lots of sales, but times have changed. They lost their lease and you could not find a place in the area to move the bookstore to for what we were paying,” Nock said.“ Right now, I see our biggest asset in our new website, which is on pace with the current technology and something that younger generations relate to. With that in place, I see more members joining and the Friends staying strong, if not getting stronger.”
That website, friendsofbpl. org, was designed and is maintained by a volunteer at no cost to the organization and serves as a portal where people can join the Friends, register for events, make donations and join the newsletter email list. The group also has a Facebook page— facebook. com / FOTBPL, and Twitter feed @ FOBPL.
While Nock has been at the helm of all of these changes, she’ s certainly not the driving force of the Friends, crediting the rest of the board and the cooperation of the Bridgeville Public Library’ s staff and board of trustees.
“ It’ s been a group effort on the board, and I would say our biggest accomplishment is the relationship that we have grown with the board of trustees and the staff,” she said.“ Together we’ ve been successful and it shows. With the money that the Friends have given— more than $ 7,500 over the past two years— the public can see what it has gone toward. We’ ve purchased energy-efficient window film for the library, a kitchen play set for the children’ s area, and we paid for the Silly Science summer program for the past two years— making it free for kids, as well as two sewing machines for a summer sewing camp. People can actually see results of our fundraising. Because of that, the Friends are noticed more, and that in itself attracts new members who want to be a part of this.”
And, if you’ re a fan of the Christmas Tree Festival, there have been changes to that as well, but only as far as the venue goes. This year’ s festival will be held at the South Fayette Senior Center at 515 Millers Run Road, on Dec. 3 and 4, from 11 a. m. until 4 p. m.
The event will include Santa Claus performing a magic show on Saturday at noon and visiting the kids afterward. The Bridgeville Brass will perform Sunday at 2:30 p. m. Trees will be decorated by local businesses, organizations and individuals, including a Lego Tree assembled by the Steel City Lego Users Group. And, of course, there will be a smorgasbord of baked goods, pizza by the slice, an old-time popcorn machine, Chinese auction, daily 50 / 50, and used books to be had for a donation. Admission to the
festival is $ 2 per person. Children under the age of 6 are free.
Nock believes the new venue will only benefit the fundraiser by being in a more visible, more easily accessible location.
“ I believe attendance will be better. Change is good; it’ s not always easy, but it’ s good,” she said.“ We may acquire some new people who never came before, and we still have a following of people who come year after year as a tradition.” n
“ With the money that the Friends have given, the public can actually see what it has gone toward.”
2017 Membership Information for the Friends of the Bridgeville Public Library
Junior Membership: 0-13 years of age: Free Student: 14-22 years of age: $ 5 Individual: $ 20 Senior / Military: $ 10 Family: $ 30 Business / Commercial: $ 100
To join, go to friendsofbpl. org / join-the-friends to pay by PayPal, or fill out the online application and drop it off at the Bridgeville Public Library with your check.
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