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Annual Book Fair
The Annual Book Fair usually occurs in early March and is sponsored by the Library Committee and Women's Alliance. Watch the newsletter in February for dates.Wed. Morning - The "Table Schlepping" Crew gathers to haul 22 tables from four downstairs rooms, the storage room, the upstairs closet and alcove. Set tables in places according to a floor plan. Tape book categories signs, created by Adrienne Linden, to bookends are placed on tables. (Coffee and cookies.)
Wed. Night: The "Muscle Squad", Dick Haynes Squad leader and his crew bring up over one hundred labeled book boxes via cart, dolly and elevator; carry them to the category areas. If the time allows we start unpacking some of the boxes. Pizza and soda for refreshments Thu. Morning, - "This is always a great Setup Crew hardworking and so quiet (almost scary!). No matter are age, bad backs, worn-out knee joints, a cracked hip or just "hanging on"; we always finish by 12:30. (Reinforcements: crackers, cheese, cookies, coffee, apple juice and soda.)
Friday, - "Opening Day": One hour before the floodgates open instructions for volunteers, red aprons, cash boxes, adding machines are on tables. Two volunteers hold the fort, collect money, stamp hands and ready, set, go - here the first buyers come! Finally, after months of preparation, the harvest of all labor lands in the cash boxes on the longest day of the Eliot Chapel Book Fair. Three down, two more to go
Saturday, - "Business" can be sort of slow moving, but everyone stays in good spirits with volunteer workers aplenty at their posts
Sunday, - WOW! Today books are half-price and sales are swift. People carry armloads of books, regardless of repurchasing their own donated book at a bargain. When the last book is bought, we count the checks, bills and small change to find out "how much". Our total book sale can vary between $3,00.00 and $4,000.00 of which one half will go to Women's Alliance who work hard before and during the Book Fair.
Sunday Afternoon - "Clean Up Crew": Rick Mace's Covenant Group and other souls scrounge for old boxes, pack up all left over books, hauled them to a book buyer's truck and dismantled the tables in 1-1/2 hours. Record time!
We give our sincere thanks to the Eliot Chapel staff for their support.
Special thanks to all who donate books - who sort, price, pack and stack the shelves - who create order out of chaos on the book tables - who read prices, calculate, collect, pack, smile and buy books while vouching not to buy another book, but alas, a good book like a good friend you can't have too many!