Post Book Fair - Thank you

The Book Fair was packed up Friday after 4:00 PM and everything is boxed and waiting to be taken away Monday morning, October 15, 2012.  I think everyone working at the Book Fair agrees that it was very successful.  The library already has $600 worth of new books waiting to go on the shelves - books that were "purchased" from the Book Fair with the profits. 

The All for Books program was a great success as well, and we are very grateful to everyone that participated and helped to make the program successful.  With the donations, we were able to make sure that every single student purchased at least one book from the fair.

Even more than profits, though, the library scored big time with volunteers.  Mrs. Lynn Gray was at the Book Fair every single day, from the set up on Wednesday, October 3rd, until everything was packed away on Friday, October 12.  She completely handled the cash register and all sales and kept track of every student who purchased something.  She was the driving force behind the All for Books program, while I was occupied with 6 or 7 classes every day.  She has also agreed to come in once a week from now on and help Mrs. Barredo and myself with the myriad duties we have to do but have little time to give - like covering and processing books.

Books that were checked in and piled up the day Mrs. Barredo had to call in sick. 

In addition to Mrs. Gray, Meredith Hyder, a parent of two Sycamore Park students, worked day in and day out, only leaving the Book Fair if she had to substitute in another classroom.  She tirelessly assisted Mrs. Gray with all of the customers and spent any down time (and there was little of that!) helping Mrs. Barredo to shelve books.  I will include a picture of the amount of books that can accumulate over the course of two school days so that you can see the back log Mrs. Barredo has been trying to conquer.  Meredith Hyder turned out to be a shelving machine!  She says that she will come in and continue to help us with this massive job now that the book fair is over, and we could not be more grateful.

Other volunteers that were instrumental in helping run this book fair included my mother and sister (called in in desperation!), Kathleen Buchanan, Franca Sarmiento, Mr. __________ and _____________. 

Sycamore Park has turned out to be full of wonderful, special people, like Mr. Temple and Mrs. Wells.  They came in to the library to help and donated decorations and spent all of October 3rd taking turns taking all the library classes (6 of them!) so that Mrs. Barredo and  I could set up the Book Fair. 

Mrs. Joye in the computer lab was such a help, day in and day out.  When she had no other classes in the computer lab, she provided a place for the library classes to go when they finished with their wish lists at the Book Fair.  She tirelessly came over and helped us with the PreK, K, 1st and 2nd grade classes that needed assistance writing their wish lists.  It is awe inspiring to think of all the help Sycamore Park faculty and staff gave to make the Book Fair a success.

(Kathy Dwyer, too, deserves a thank you for pitching in the day she saw all of the books piled up on the counter...she jumped right in and started shelving books!  Mrs. Wells heard about the dilemma and she came in three different times to help shelve the back log.) 

I keep thinking of people who deserve a thank you - like all the help Mrs. Gray's granddaughter was the days she hung out with us until 4:00 PM.  Or the students that pitched in to help set up and then pack up.  The beautiful Mrs. Lawson, who came in the last day of the Book Fair and said, "Do you need a break?" and kept her PreK class in her room so that we could continue to work.  My first comment to Mrs. Lawson was, "I love you."  And later, Mrs. Barredo told me that when she saw Mrs. Lawson and was told that she was giving us that time, she also told Mrs.  Lawson that she loved her.  We do love you, Mrs. Lawson! 

It is overwhelming to think of the amount of people that pulled together to make this Book Fair happen. To all of you, I can sincerely say that this Book Fair would not have happened without you.