OIEF’s CUSTOMER #101251
The Orcas Island Education Foundation is sponsoring a wrapping paper fundraiser, set to kick-off the week of September 10, 2012.
As you may have heard, because of dwindling funding from the state, the Orcas Island School District has had to make cuts to this year’s budget — including closing the library. The OIEF Board has decided to donate all proceeds of this year’s sale to help re-open the public school library. (50% of all wrapping paper sales goes to OIEF.) It will cost $43,000 to bring back our librarian and the library aide for the rest of the year.
OIEF has partnered with Innisbrook, a company that shares the islands’ community sense of environmental awareness. All standard gift wrap is printed on premium recycled paper, inks are 100% water-soluble, and no cardboard cores are included to minimize waste.
OIEF will award the top-selling class a pizza party. The top-selling student will receive a $50 gift certificate from Darvill’s and be invited to participate in the unwrapping ceremony.
If you would like to buy paper on-line, you can go directly to: www.innisbrook.com , click on ‘Family & Friends Support a Fundraiser’, and then shop using OIEF’s CUSTOMER #101251.
Tell your family, friends, neighbors — the more great paper we sell — the sooner we can “un-wrap” the school library. For more information contact Janna Carter at janna45999@yahoo.com or Michelle Reed at mareed@rockisland.com.
(The public can also donate to keep the library open by clicking on the sidebar photo “Keep School Library Open” above the Question of the Week on the home page of “Orcas Issues” https://theorcasonian.com/keep-school-library-open)
As a contributing artist for OIEF in the past, I like this idea. I just took a peek at the online site and the choices are fun and divers.Sounds like a cool idea, hope it works as a generator.
thank you OIEF for this generous offer to the library!
$43,000 is all we need to re-open the library?!? that’s nothing! i’m low income but i’ll put $20 into the pot. who will join me?
if 2,150 people donate $20, we have $43,000. if 860 people give $50 each, we have it. if 430 people donate $100 each, we have it. is there any question that this is the right thing to do?
to what bank account should i donate my twenty bucks?
and… do we have to come up with the $43,000 all at once to open the school library immediately? if not, let’s get it open! our young students deserve that.
Ray’s Pharmacy will donate $500 towards the library so it will be able to open.
Way to go Sadie and Ray’s! Just want to remind folks that they can donate to keep the library open by clicking on the sidebar photo “Keep School Library Open” above the Question of the Week on the home page of “Orcas Issues” https://theorcasonian.com/keep-school-library-open
Can parent volunteers fill in for the aid position to save some money? A couple of years ago, I remember being told that the library had to reduce hours because volunteers could not fill in for positions that would have been held by union members. Much angry grumbling ensued about protecting jobs while reducing services to kids. Has this changed?
thanks for that link, margie! i see it now, as i go to the home page. it’s on the top of the letter. how did i miss that?
i encourage our generous community members to use that link – i plan to. thank you margie for making this so easy and accessible for us.
Wow…Sadie…Ray’s…you rock! OIEF and the library thank you!
Moana…I will find out.
a hearty and heartfelt thank you to ray’s pharmacy – way to step to the plate and show what community spirit is all about!
This book loving, experienced library volunteer grandparent would volunteer if it works out, Janet .
Earned my college tuition working for Seattle Public Library — Best job I ever had and a real education. Sign me up as a volunteer if you go that route!. The school librarian was always our best friend, too. I doubt that has changed much . What is education without books and music?
Moana, Barbara, Joyce…thank you so much for your creative thinking. Unfortunately, the volunteering idea won’t work…even in the short run while we raise the funds. Here is Barbara Kline’s response to my query: “We need to honor the labor agreement that we have with our classified staff. Using volunteers to check out books from the library, would be in violation of that agreement. “
So, let me understand – we have a school library that the children are unable to use. We have books sitting there gathering dust. We have parents and grandparents willing to step up and help the kids access the library materials, but who aren’t allowed to, because labor contracts are apparently more important to the school than educating our children…
And yet, I also understand there is a $11.9 million bond measure for the school on the November ballot, part of which is to go to library remodelling/construction.
Why should we step up to fund a new library, when we can’t even find ways to keep the doors to the old library open?
Excellent question Brian. And Barbara Kline would be the best person to whom that question should be asked.
The school library is open to all offers from the community to volunteer. The staffing at the library is one half time library and one quarter time technician. This is pretty minimal staffing, considering we serve all staff and K-12 students. The library can always use extra help and appreciates it tremendously. There are many opportunities, including shelving (we have one very loyal volunteer that keeps the picture books pristine and usable), display, outreach, more than can be listed. It warms my heart to see the interest in volunteering from the community. If and when the library reopens, please contact the librarian at x1565. Thank you from the library, a vital hub of the school.
Another comment, the library technician position is vital, not only to provide assistance to the librarian, but also to keep the library open as many hours during the day as possible.