KENT — Sam Callaway is this year’s recipient of Kent Memorial Library’s Volunteer of the Year Award. The presentation was made by library Director Sarah Marshall at Sunday’s Volunteer Luncheon held at the Community House.
Callaway, an architect, has provided extensive free architectural services over many years for the new library building, which is under construction.
“We wouldn’t be here without you,” Marshall told him.
In his short acceptance speech, Callaway talked of the incredible team he worked with, including the staff, board and volunteers.
“I’ve come to believe that libraries in small towns are the engines of those towns,” he said. “We have to make sure they exist.”
Several committee reports were given during the event.
The book sale met its fundraising goal despite moving from the library’s usual Main Street site to a temporary location on the Kent Green during construction. Marshall described the result as a great achievement given the move away from busier Main Street.
Marshall assured those gathered that with the new facility there will be a book sale next year. The sale, which runs every weekend from May to October, is a major fundraiser. Its used books are all donated.
Dana Slaughter, who co-chaired the annual cocktail benefit held every spring, said this year’s event brought in the third-highest proceeds.
The raffle, which offered three $1,000 prizes in gift certificates to local businesses, was also a success, said Julie Saxton, a Kent Memorial Library board member.
“It was great that we could keep it local,” she said, thanking the sellers “for harassing everyone who went by.”
Marshall noted that it was rewarding to be able to buy local gift certificates. One winner requested a $500 gift certificate from NAPA and another from Ace Hardware.
At the raffle drawing following the Pumpkin Run on Oct. 25, Kent Center School third-grader Nami Kahn mistakenly read one winner’s name as David Poirier, her music teacher. The ticket belonged to David Perugini of Thomaston — but the next ticket she drew really was Poirier’s.
Looking ahead, the library will be putting out a cookbook and is seeking recipes from townspeople.
Marshall said she will also be giving tours of the new library soon and that construction is progressing very well.
