Editor:

The Fairhope Public School librarians would like to thank the Kiwanis of Fairhope and the Eastern Shore for their enthusiastic support of our libraries. The first annual Bookin 4 Books 5k and 1-mile fun run event was held April 24 and was a huge success! It grossed nearly $14,000 for our six libraries!

The libraries lost their budgets for this year and next. We are struggling to pay for our card catalogs, purchase new books for our many readers, reference materials for research, paper for copiers, ink for printers, book repair and processing materials and an array of other needed items for operation. We appreciate the Kiwanis’ recognition of the libraries as a necessary and vital part of every school curriculum, as having a direct impact on student achievement, and as important to the children of our community.

We offer a special tip of the hat to Kiwanis member and coordinator Randall Gautney who spent countless hours over many months organizing the Bookin 4 Books event. We’d also like to give a special thanks to Kiwanis members Carl Wegener and Randy Fidler who offered steadfast support to Mr. Gautney and to us.

In addition to the Kiwanis, many others share in the success of Bookin 4 Books. We’d like to thank the Fairhope High School Key Club members and sponsors Shannon Shepherd and Dan Starling; Publix; Mellow Mushroom; Master Joe’s; J. Thomas, Inc. Advertising Marketing Solutions; South Alabama Orthodontics; Country Day School; Metal Bender Jewelry Gallery; Landscape Workshop; Red or White; Bay Child; and Gotneimages.com.

Bookin 4 Books was a fun, family event, and we appreciate all who participated and showed support for our libraries. We are grateful for Kiwanis’ dedication to literacy and for thinking of us in these times of financial woe and budget cuts. We look forward to next year’s event, so mark your calendars for the second annual Bookin 4 Books to be held March 5, 2011!

Melanie Langdon, Newton School

Eugenia Normand,

K-1 Center

Kiki Sealy,

Elementary School

Gloria Salsamendi, Intermediate School

Annette Grube,

Middle School

Lorrie Katsimpalis, High School