Category: Annual Meeting

The Gray Bird Sings at the Annual Meeting

A small but appreciative audience was treated to a fascinating glimpse into The Extraordinary Life of Betty Kwan Chinn when Betty and her biographer Karen Price were our guests for this year’s Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Redwood Libraries on June 22. Members were able to acquire autographed copies Karen Price and Betty Chinnof Karen’s book, The Gray Bird Sings, and discuss it and ask questions of Betty.

Prior to the program a brief business meeting was held to conduct the election of officers for the coming year. President Debbie Reis conducted the election and introduced new and continuing officers and board members and thanked outgoing a board members for their service.

Following the business meeting Library Director Chris Cooper reported on the State of the Library, stressing new programs that are being created, new staff recruitment, and infrastructure upgrades, including those for ADA compliance.

Debbie presents Frances Rapin award to Ronda WittenbergPresident Debbie Reis presented the 2024 Frances Rapin Community Service Award to recently retired staff members Ronda Wittenberg and Michael Logan, who between them provided 89 years of service to Library patrons. Michael was unable to attend, but he and Ronda will work with the Library to decide how the $2,000 will be spent.

Following the program, delicious refreshments were enjoyed by all.

FRL Frances Rapin Community Service Award for 2023

James Cech presenting Martha Longshore with the Frances Rapin Community Service Award.Friends of the Redwood Libraries’ (FRL) Frances Rapin Community Service Award is granted yearly in the name of a local resident deemed to have contributed extraordinarily to the local community in support of literacy, literature, educational programs, libraries and the “Friends.” The award is a $2,000 contribution to the Humboldt County Libraries in the awardee’s name. The award winner is encouraged to offer guidance to the library in how the funds will be used.

Having no advertising budget, FRL is challenged to inform the community about its activities. Quarterly newsletters are sent out, but these go only to members. To reach the greater community FRL relies on its website to spread word of its activities including book sales, calendar sales, operating hours of Serendipity, book donation policies, and access to online sales. Given its importance, an up-to-date web presence is critical. And FRL has been extremely fortunate to have the generous support of a highly talented web master.

Martha Longshore, a published author, has assisted FRL with her expertise for numerous years. She willingly takes semi-cryptic requests and converts them to coherent news updates. She readily adjusts web page menus at the whim of the FRL board. She updates sales dates, happily removing old ones to replace with new ones as soon as requested. She keeps policy document links up to date and has efficiently worked with FRL through the myriad of changes in operations, practices, availability, and open hours through the challenges of the Covid pandemic. For these reasons, for 2023, the FRL board of directors chose Martha Longshore to receive the Frances Rapin Community Service Award.

By James Cech

2023 Annual Meeting June 24th

Mark your calendars! FRL will hold its Annual Meeting in person on June 24, 2023 at 1:30 in the downstairs meeting room of the Humboldt County main branch library in Eureka.

Join us for: election of board members, presentation of the Frances Rapin Community Service Award, insight from authors, and light refreshments.

Community Service Award

Liberry PreservesThe Community Service award this year will be presented to Cary and Robin Bartlett, owners of Mad River Farm. These are the people who make the delicious Liberry Preserves. The Friends will present $2,000 to the Library, and Cary and Robin can choose how it is to be used. If you haven’t tried Liberry Preserves, you can find them in the Serendipity Book Store, upstairs in the Eureka Main Library. 

2019 FRL Annual Meeting

Save the date!

June 8 is the day of our 2019 ANNUAL MEETING. Come to the large meeting room in the Humboldt County Main Library, 1313 3rd Street, Eureka, CA, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. We will elect new officers, present our Community Service Award, and enjoy our special speaker, Margot Genger. 

Margot grew up in our library, beginning with the old Carnegie Library at 7th and F in Eureka. She has authored a memoir, Shift Happens, and will share it with all of us at the Annual Meeting. 

Neil Tarpey, author of Flashes of Lightning, wrote a synopsis about Shift Happens. “Genger writes with a poet’s heart, a truck driver’s focus, and a tourist’s eye. She transports us across America’s breathtaking landscapes and urban blight all while trying to stay sober and neutralize her own demons. I’m glad I went along for the ride.” 

2015 Annual Meeting

You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Redwood Libraries!
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1:30 – 3:30
HUMBOLDT COUNTY LIBRARY 1313 3RD STREET, EUREKA

Elections will be held and Victor Zazueta, Library Director, will give us an update on “the State of the Library”.

Ray King is completing his tenure as President of FRL. Come and support Ray as he continues his service to the Library with his time and talent. Thank you, Ray!

Volkswagon photoThe title of Marilyn Tucker’s talk is, “Four Months in a Little Red Box”, or “Don’t Throw away your old colored slides”. Turn those dusty, deteriorating bits of forgotten adventures into family treasures!

As always, there will be great door prizes! And…refreshments will be served.

FRL Annual Meeting June 28th

victorraycheckThe meeting room in the Eureka Main Library was nearly filled to capacity for our recent Annual Meeting. Elected to serve terms beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2016, were Eileen Hayhurst, First Vice President; Stephanie Hillman, Treasurer; Debbie Reis, Corresponding Secretary; and Walt Frazer, Marjorie Malcolm, and Barry Ross, Directors. Continuing on the board with terms expiring June 30, 2015, are Ray King, President; Yvonne Kassatkin, 2nd Vice President; Marilyn Tucker, Recording Secretary; and Susie Freese, Dolores Guffey, Connie Johnson and Jan Turner, Directors. Following the election, Ray presented Library Director Victor Zazueta with an oversized check representing the $31,467 that the Friends have donated to the Library during this past year. Victor thanked all of the volunteers who support the needs of the Library, and then spoke on the “State of the Library”.

FRL 2014 Annual Mtg – More

FRL 2014 Annual Mtg – More

raycentralofcPres. Ray King presented the Community Service Award to the Women of The Central Office—The Copy Center. Lynette Worthington, Terry Davis, and Terri Vanderhoff accepted the plaque and the honor of choosing how the $2000 Friends’ donation to the Library should be
used.
cherylseidnerSusie Freese introduced The guest speaker for the afternoon, Cheryl Seidner, who kept the rapt attention of the audience by telling the story of the Wiyot people. She has been an invaluable spokesperson and activist for this important cause, and she spearheaded the campaign to have the Tulawat Villiage site and about 60 acres of Indian Island returned to the Wiyot tribe.
After a wonderful afternoon, the meeting was adjourned for door prize drawings and refreshments. Thanks go to Eileen Hayhurst, program chair, and everyone who provided food and door prizes, those who attended, and all who helped to make the 2014 Annual Meeting a success.

Annual Meeting Guest Speaker

Katherine Longshore

THE NEWS IS OUT: The Guest Speaker for our upcoming Annual Meeting will be Katherine Longshore, author of GILT, a story of friendship and betrayal set in the court of Henry VIII; and TARNISH, the story of young Anne Boleyn.

Katherine grew up in Arcata. Attending HSU, she created her own major in Cross-cultural Studies and Communications, planning to travel and write. Forever. Four years, six continents and countless pairs of shoes later, she went to England for two weeks, stayed five years and discovered history. She now lives in another part of California with her husband and two children. She’s still writing.

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