Friends of Kennett Library
Support Kennett Library & Become a Friend!
Every outstanding community needs a great library, and every great library needs Friends.
A $20 fee helps defray administrative costs
Our Mission
Our mission is to support Kennett Library through advocacy, volunteering and fundraising. By joining Friends of the Kennett Library, you will be notified of opportunities to help the library in these three areas. Please join us!
Who we are:
We are a network of enthusiastic library supporters working to enhance the already established place of the Kennett Library as the center of information, learning, culture, social connection, and civic engagement in our community.
What we do:
- Contribute our time and talent as needed
- Sponsor the annual Shop & Dine fundraiser
- Increase community awareness of the library
- Keep our members informed and engaged
- Advocate at the local level for increased financial support
- Hold get togethers to learn about what’s new
- Contribute and connect with fellow Friends
Benefits of being a Friend of Kennett Library
- No library fines
- Invitation to Friends member appreciation events
- Receive alerts regarding volunteer opportunities
- The knowledge that your support of the Kennett Library makes our community better
Funding for Library Programming & Operations
The Kennett Library receives 67% of its annual operating expenses from local municipalities and must raise the remaining 33% yearly. As a committee operating under the direction of the Board of Trustees of the Kennett Library, 100% of the funds raised by the Friends go directly to the operations and programming of the Kennett Library. Fundraising will occur through membership dues and our annual Shop & Dine Raffle. We hope to add more fundraisers in the future.
A win for the library, a win for the community!
Kennett Library Shop & Dine
31 Chances to Win!Thank you to our wonderful sponsors and our many volunteers who help make the Shop & Dine fundraiser a success. Each year we raise over $25,000 through this event. All proceeds go to support children’s programs and adult literacy at Kennett Library.
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Friends of Kennett Library Board of Directors – 2023
Executive Board
Annette Bowers, President
Carol Yetter, Vice President/Secretary
Barbara Bolton, Kennett Library Board of Trustees Liaison
Chris Manna, Kennett Library Director
At Large Board Members
Gail Bowden
Anne Coleman
Sandy Cumbaa
Judith Diner
Carolyn Mostyn
Sue Soraruf
Rosanne McHugh
Marilyn Quinn
Bette Neumann
Cheryl Myers
Mary Hutchins, Staff Liaison
In 1989, Library Board Chairman Tom Swett asked Susan del Baso to form a committee to “Make the Library some money.” Susan enlisted JoAnn Shoemaker, Audrey Donohue, Nancy Olson, G. Margaret Hennes and Stefanie Gulden Jackson and thus was born the Special Events Committee (SEC). And make money for the Library they did.
In 1990 the first annual Bayard Taylor Memorial Library Home and Garden Tour was held. Following the success of this first event, the group decided to add a fall fundraiser. In the fall of 1991, the committee held its first Bayard Taylor Memorial Library Kitchen Tour which ran as an annual event for six years, from 1991-1996.
From its beginnings in 1990 through 2020, the SEC created and held other fundraisers to benefit the Library such as the Gift Box from 1998-2007 and First Night, but it was the Home and Garden Tour that became the signature event, raising over $600,000.00 for the Library.
We would like to give thanks and recognition to all past members of the SEC who gave countless hours to benefit the Library as Founders of the SEC and/or serving as Chairpersons of the Home and Garden Tour for one or more years.
Should anyone have photos of these members, activities related to the planning or Home and Garden event, and be willing to share them with us, we would love to include them in our Historical File and on this web page.
Founding Members
Susan del Baso
JoAnn Shoemaker
Audrey Donohue
Nancy Olson
G. Margaret Hennes
Stephanie Gulden Jackson
Chairpersons of the Home and Garden Tours throughout the years
Susan Del Baso
Linda Bivens
Gail Bowden
Annette Bowers
Marylou A. Bristol
Barbara Cairns
Louise Colburn
Janet Colella
Kathy Cotton
Jacqueline D’Cruz
Carol Davidson
Audrey Donohue
Pricilla Dugdale
Mary Nell Ferry
Maureen Firth
Babara C. Heckman
G. Margaret Hennes
Margaret Higgs
Jacqueline Holveck
Margorie U. Kaskey
Everitt L. Miller
Gerry Mirshak
Kathy Norris
Nancy Olson
Joann Shoemaker
Marian Simpson
Silvia Umbreit
Helen Wagner
Hanna Woodward
Carol Yetter
