It was a beautiful autumn day for the Raffle drawing on October 27, 2023. Congratulations to our winners! The friends thank all who participated to make this a successful event! Proceeds from the raffle will be used to benefit the Library! 1st Place $1000 Nancy Parent of Cotuit 2nd Place $750 Janet Nickerson of Cotuit 3rd Place $500 Aimee Silberman of Marston Mills |
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Annual Book Sale Attracts Many Customers!This year’s three day June event was busy with browsers, buyers and silent auction bidders!
We have to thank all who helped! The volunteers from Rogers and Marney packed up the saved books from the Library basement and transported boxes to Freedom Hall in record time! The Fire Department personnel set up tables very quickly to the Friends’ specifications. Friends’ members and Boy Scout Troop 52 worked diligently to unpack and display books by genre before the scheduled opening. There was a line at the door a half hour before we even opened! Many look forward to this annual gathering. There were several bidders interested in the silent auction for the rare Dwight D. Eisenhower signed limited edition The White House Years: Waging Peace. The bidding was exciting to experience. We thank all our volunteers and the community of customers for supporting us through this event. Many found their reading materials for the summer or that perfect book for a family member or friend. |
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2022 Volunteer Recognition
The Friends honored the Volunteers who gave their time, talents and support of Friends‘ events during the current and previous fiscal year. It was wonderful to be able to gather once again at this brunch as the pandemic had prevented us from getting together in previous years. Pat Marmen, Friends’ president; Jessica Rudden-Dube, Library Director; Sean Brown, Cotuit’s new Fire Chief; and Bruce Cole, Boy Scout leader of Troop 52; all spoke about the importance of volunteering and thanked those present for their unselfish contributions to the village, the Friends and the Library. View the pictures from the Brunch.
Wonderful 2022 Plant and Bake SaleThe May 28th Plant and Bake sale sponsored by the Friends brought out residents and guests of Cotuit despite the overcast day. Our plant and bake donors outdid themselves with the varieties of plants and the delicious baked goods. The event was a successful fundraiser thanks to all who donated sale items, our volunteers who helped set up, assisted our customers, cashiered, or helped with clean up. Special thanks to the Troop 52 team who rolled up our floor tarps, washed and put away tables, took away trash and swept the floors. Congrats to our lucky drawing winners, 1st Prize a garden dish and $25 gift certificate from Soares Flower Garden & Nursery - winner D. Baker; 2nd and 3rd Prizes, each a $25 gift card to Hyannis Country Gardens - winners J. Coluccini and L. Bohan. Enjoy the colorful pictures from the event.
Audience Enjoys Butterfly Gardening PresentationOn April 20, 2022, an enthusiastic audience of 39 guests welcomed Master Gardener Mary P. Barry. Our Program Coordinator Jane Fontana also welcomed many members of the Cotuit Bird & Garden Club. Mary presented an educational program on how to select the correct perennial and annual host and nectar plants to accommodate a variety of butterfly species through their lifecycle. She shared photos and experiences from her own multi-state gardening and her raising of monarch butterflies. There was active participation by the guests as they asked questions about best soil conditions, recommended plantings, and suitable nutrients. Many shared their personal butterfly gardening experiences. The participants also raved about the luncheon menu selected by Sue Maddox and Karyl Scrivener, our Board Luncheon Chairs - shrimp orzo salad, fresh green salad with fruit, and lemon bars for dessert. Guest Sally Warren won the original acrylic painting donated by local artist Nancy Minnigerode, and Jan Scullin won a lavender plant donated by Mary Barry.
Enthusiastic Audience at CC Baseball Program & LuncheonOn March 16, 2022, the Friends sponsored their first monthly luncheon in two years! (Pandemic restrictions prevented holding previously planned monthly Programs and Luncheons, disappointing the Friends and the community.) Forty enthusiastic participants celebrated being able to finally attend an in-person event, and they enjoyed a hearty lunch of chili, salad, corn bread, and pistachio cake prepared by our volunteers.
Judy Garvey, Vice President of the Friends, welcomed our guest speaker Ben Brink, Corporate Development Director of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Ben gave an overview of the League's operation, management and recruiting practices, as well as the many opportunities for interning and volunteering. Terry Moran, President of the Cotuit Kettleers, accompanied Ben for the presentation. During the Q & A session, both Ben and Terry expertly responded to questions from the audience about the local teams. The attendees were delighted to attend the event and expressed great excitement about the upcoming opening day. Following the presentation, two gift drawings were held. A lucky winner won a framed aerial view of Kettleer's Field donated by Paul Rifkin, and a second received a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Awareness Raised about Cyanobacteria Monitoring in Cape Cod PondThe Friends' organization was pleased to host speaker Kevin Johnson on November 17, 2021. Kevin is an ecologist and the head of the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program sponsored by the Association to Protect Cape Cod (APCC). His purpose in reaching out was to make our audience more aware of the importance of filling the gaps in monitoring ponds for public safety and to keep our waters safe. He spoke of APCC working collaboratively with town and state resources, scientists, and community volunteers to fill some of the gaps in monitoring. He was thankful for the complement of citizens who help take samples of pond waters, along with professionals, to send for testing. The priority is to monitor the majority of ponds used for recreation. He overviewed causes of blooms and shared pictures of various bacteria. He discussed the scientific community's work to find solutions and take corrective actions. He cited the APCC website which is kept up to date about the health of the ponds in the monitoring program, the notifications on social media to ensure that communities get timely alerts when there is danger to individuals and pets caused by cyanobacteria toxins, and the on-site pond postings (usually by Health Departments) if a pond is closed. At the conclusion of the event, there was an audience drawing for a local restaurant gift card.
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Audience Passionate About "Foodscaping - Have Your Yard & Eat It Too !"Dave Scandurra, owner/founder of Edible Landscapes of Cape Cod, was the guest speaker at the Friends' evening program on October 20, 2021. The audience was attentive and interactive during the session. Dave spoke about integrating vegetables, herbs and native plants into the landscape, edible forest gardens, raised beds, grass to garden conversions, organic and ecological land care, permaculture design, edible plants, shrubs, perennials and trees. The audience asked many questions pertaining to solutions for their properties. The evening culminated with a drawing for a local restaurant and our winner was T. Goldstein.
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Celebrate with the Winners of the Friends' Spectacular Fall Raffle
The Library living room was busy with community patrons using the available internet connection on October 29th, following our big Nor'easter! Three members of the Friends' Board were on hand to select the winners from the large raffle drum, Diana Parker, Chair of Programs, Judy Garvey ,VP and Membership Chair, and Lori Scudder, Publicity. Jessica our Librarian recorded the moments when these three winners were picked:
1st Place $1,000 - B. Hagerty of Cotuit 2nd Place $750 - E. Young of Cotuit 3rd Place $500 - B. Arnaud of Chelmsford Congratulations to our winners. The Friends thank all who participated to make this a successful event! Proceeds from the raffle will be used to benefit the Library! |
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Long-Awaited Jewelry Sale 2021 - A Fun Event!After two postponements due to the pandemic, the Friends were able to host a community-supported Jewelry Sale. This fundraiser featured gently-used and donated jewelry from costume items, antiques and contemporary jewelry, to gold and silver pieces. Freedom Hall proved the perfect environment to allow for social distancing and lovely table displays. Thanks to Friends' volunteer Terri Goldstein and her committee for their great work in collecting, researching values, pricing items, and creatively displaying the jewelry! Thanks to our volunteers who hosted and helped customers through the days of the sale. Our appreciation to the whole community who gave generously, who shopped for interesting jewelry treasures, and who continue to support our efforts!
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The Friends’ Plant Sale of May 29, 2021, was a wonderful community event and fundraiser! The rain and weather forecast forced us to adapt and move inside of Freedom Hall, but that proved to be a great environment for customers. Pre-sale, volunteers reached out to retail businesses, nurseries, and local farms to procure a core supply of plants. That support was excellent! Please visit these wonderful business donors: Aubuchon Hardware, Attaquin Acres Nursery, Cape Abilities Farm, Cotuit Landscaping, Gardens by Rebecca & Sabatia Flower Farm, Home Depot, Mahoney’s Garden Center, Paramount Landscaping, Roche Bros., Rushy Marsh Farm, Russo’s Landscaping, Shaws Stores, Soares Flower Nursery, and Stop and Shop Stores. A big shout out of thanks to all the Cotuit community gardeners who generously shared a wide variety of annuals, herbs, perennials, and small trees from their own gardens. We appreciate the monetary donations of two member families, the Bellofatto-Weeks and the Mazza families. Those donations allowed us to purchase additional plants. View the photos which showcase the colorful display of plants, volunteers at work setting-up, and the drawing for a gift certificate and flower basket from Soares Flower Nursery, by one of our younger volunteers, Teddie. The lucky winner was Merry Pells! What fun to come out of the pandemic isolation to such an exciting event! Even better, most plants were sold, and the proceeds will allow the Friends to continue to underwrite programs, library wish list items and the purchase of new books and media. The few “leftover” plants went to the library patio and will be displayed for sale on the new wrought-iron flower cart purchased by the Friends for the library’s use.
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On Wednesday February 19, 2020, The Friends of the Cotuit Library hosted a Luncheon for a capacity crowd. The guest speaker was Dr. Tom Novitsky, Commissioner for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Commission (SSC), and Horseshoe Crab Specialist Group. Dr. Tom Novitsky spoke about the local and international status of the Horseshoe Crab, along with its contribution to modern medicine. He described the importance and production of limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), a reagent made from the blood of Horseshoe Crabs, as well as, efforts to ensure the crabs' continued survival. At the end of his presentation, Dr. Tom Novitsky fielded numerous questions from the audience. The lucky winner of the luncheon drawing was Kathy Spirtes. She won a gorgeous framed Horseshoe Crab photo donated by Paul Rifkin. What a wonderful educational event.
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Twenty five guests enjoyed the presentation by Brian Kearney, director of Residential Services at Rise Engineering and Brianna Kane of Cape Light Compact. The event was quite interactive. Brian addressed the free services offered through all the MA Save programs and the special services, loans and underwriting for key energy efficiency solutions. Brian interspersed stories of actual customer home challenges that came with home’s age and building styles, team recommended solutions and the results. The examples helped demonstrate the depth and creativity of working with both the Compact and Rise Engineering. Many in the audience talked about scheduling an energy audit and agreed that the information was “eye-opening” and so practical. What a wonderfully educational event!
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30 individuals attended our January luncheon featuring Kathy Zagzebski, from the National Marine Life Center In Buzzards Bay. Kathy is President and Director. She spoke about the Center’s scientific mission, its experiences in caring for and rehabilitating stranded turtles and other marine life for release in warmer climates and the type of turtles most often rescued. She spoke of the needs at the hospital, the volunteer program, the medical studies and the educational programs offered. The audience was interactive with many questions for the speaker. Ms. Zagzebski was an engaging speaker and everyone enjoyed her expertise.
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The October Fashion Show was a resounding success based on all the comments from the guests. The ambiance at Hyannisport was superb, the lunch was ,and the variety of raffle and silent auction items displayed so colorfully and professionally. More important, the various fashions from Cape Chic were so beautiful & practical for today and all were beautifully described by Sandy Mullins, Cape Chic's owner. Our volunteer models, Pattie Berkey, Jody Coluccini, Karen Hanesian, Antonia Stephens, Ginny Toukan, Vickie Vieira and Phyllis Walsh, were dazzling in the fall fashions as they walked amongst the guests. What a wonderful day! If you missed the event, stay tuned for next year!
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The topic of Eldred’s Antiques drew a crowd of almost 40 Friends and guests. Everyone enjoyed our kick-off luncheon and program as evidenced by the mingling, the conversations and the questions that were addressed to Josh Eldred during his interactive and dynamic presentation. If you missed the event, Josh spoke of his growing up in the antique business and learning from prior generations, compared the ways of the past and the current trends with Internet bidding and viewing of items up for auction, discussed the local auctions planned around specific theme, and invited those who are truly interested in sales of their inherited heirlooms and antiques to make appointments. He entertained the audience with stories of various customers, unusual finds, unique sales and once in a lifetime opportunities. It was obvious he loves his niche in this business and is invigorated by the constant changes and opportunities.
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'The June 19th reception hosted by the Friends was well attended by many of the Friends' and the Library's volunteers as well as Library Trustees and Friends Board Members. Friends President Lori Scudder welcomed and thanked the group in attendance. She spoke about the value of volunteers, how volunteers time, talents and ideas are integral to the success of the many projects and events that the Friends host during the fiscal year, and the resultant contributions the Friends are able to provide to the Library. Antonia Stephens, Library Director, reiterated her thanks to all and specifically spoke to the flexibility and dedication of those volunteers who assisted with the Bottle & Can Redeemables project! During the event, the Friends Board Members and Trustees in attendance were also commended for their volunteer work and time. Scudder also reminded all that it was the kick-off for the Membership campaign for the Friends and spoke of upcoming volunteer opportunities. The Friends Board did an outstanding job with the reception food and beverages, and the buffet was enjoyed by all! Pat Marmen and Judy Garvey were complimented as the co-coordinators of the event, as was Judy Lewis who designed the beautiful flower arrangement that was later given away to the lucky drawing winner, Anne Kern. If you didn't make it to the reception this fiscal year, we hope you will volunteer and qualify for next year's event. It's sure to be fun!
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The Plant Bake and Treasure Sale was a huge success again this year! Everyone looks forward to the event. The co-coordinators Sally Campbell, Rosemary Holland, Candace Laakso and Marcia Schloerb decribed the sales as tremendously brisk with patrons looking for "deals" on Treasures, their most desired baked goods or their favorite plants. Our thanks to the many donors who parted with their treasures, heirlooms, and extra items; baked and packaged a variety of goodies; or shared their perennials, cuttings, bulbs and house plants with us for resale . Our thanks to the many volunteers that served as pricers, cashiers, and floor service personnel as well as Boy Scout Troop #52 who helped with clean-up. Special thanks to Sondra Mercandetti for her donations of glass garden art! While most of the customers were repeat, there were new patrons drawn in by the signage or e-news notices. It was such fun seeing so many people connecting and visiting with each other! Enjoy these pictures of the Freedom Hall set-up before all the activity and sales began!
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Over forty Friends, Cotuit Bird and Garden Club Members and community guests gathered at the April 17th luncheon. Speakers and educators were Kathy Kopick and Vince Puleo of the Cotuit Monarch Project. The audience first viewed a film on the life cycle of the Monarch, the migratory patterns, and the many challenges to survival. Then Kathy and Vince spoke of their work collecting eggs from milkweed plants, creating nurseries, feeding the monarchs through transformation and finally their release back into the environment. From year to year they personally nurture from 70 to 100 butterflies and they give eggs and nursery environments to several local schools for the children and teachers to nurture and learn firsthand about the lifecycle. There was an interactive discussion with the guests who were excited to either help with growing milkweed plants or with trying their luck creating nurseries and releasing the butterflies . Several guests spoke of their trips to Mexico or California during which they experienced the wonder of the masses of butterflies in their winter locations.
A sense of excitement filled the room and all were motivated to start creating pollinator friendly gardens. The winner of the framed watercolor was Lori Scudder. This was the last luncheon for the fiscal year. New programs will be announced by August. |
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Our March luncheon program audience witnessed the effects of Reiki and massage treatments given to four lucky volunteer dogs. Melanie Powers of Sweet Energy, a certified small animal pet therapist, draws pet clients and their owners from the Cape and Islands. Her hands-on work assists working and companion animals with pain, anxiety, trauma, behavioral disorders, effects of diseases, aging, injuries or surgery. Several of Melanie's pet client owners were amongst the audience to testify to the impact and improvements in the quality of life their pets experience. In her presentation, Melanie shared diverse care stories of selected dogs, cats and rabbits she has cared for in her practice. Melanie also spoke about her work with other animal organizations in preparedness for emergencies, her work with adoption center animals, readying traumatized rescue pets for home adoptions and new pet food formulas and supplements available on the market. Her referrals come from veterinarians, adoption centers and through word of mouth. The pet volunteers were adorable and cooperative, and each enjoyed the treatment, as evidenced by their behaviors. Teddy was volunteered by Friends Program Chair, Diana Parker, Luna by Carol Lyall, Book Nook & Annual Book Sale Committee, Kiki by Friends Secretary, Evelyn Young and Waggy by Rob & Jane Miceli, VP of Friends. (Waggy is also this year's Library road namesake for Waggy Way.) Melanie generously donated a wonderful basket of pet-related items and drew the winning ticket belonging to guest Sally Warren. The luncheon, interesting lecture and interactive pet demonstrations were enjoyed by all.
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Dr. Frank Puzio, Owner /Winemaker of Cape Cod’s New First CrushWinery COOPerative gave an interesting /informative talk about wine making on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019 as the Lunch & Guest Speaker for the Friends of the Cotuit Library Speakers Program.
Dr. Puzio described their atypical COOPerative in Harwich where the approx. 500 Member volunteers help with the process of making the wine (if they so chose) and share in the privilege of enjoying the finished product. Dr. Puzio has been evolving his enology experiences and skills for over 30 years. He discussed his mission to produce exquisite wines utilizing the freshest of fruit (whole grapes of specific varieties imported by refrigerated semis from sunny California), and processing and fermenting the wine using the most up-to-date equipment and technology. The highlight of the presentation was the tasting of a fine selection of First Crush’s red and white wines. A fine wine was had by all in attendance!!!! Link for the First Crush Winery website: https://firstcrushwinery.com/ |
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The popular Annual Library Book Sale expanded to three days this past July, and we saw many more customers--young and mature! We also saw the prepared and focused shoppers who came with their own reusable bags! The Friends of the Cotuit Library volunteers were aided by the teams of Rogers & Marney, led by Gary Souza, and Boy Scout Troop #52 under the direction of Scout Master, Bruce Cole. The Friends' volunteers were busy year-round sorting books and designating them for the Book Nook every day sale, the Little Free Library or the Annual Book Sale. It took a tremendous effort from so many volunteers, but the Book Sale proved a wonderful community service! We thank Carol Lyall, who was the main coordinator of all the volunteers and who worked tirelessly sorting and packing books with her associates. Browse the pictures; you may recognize yourself or your neighbors. We thank the Library for sharing their culled book volumes and the community who donated wonderful books in good condition that we could offer for resale. It always take a village to make a successful event. Thanks to all!
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The Blister Pearl Necklace Winner is Wenda Windbigler!Were you wondering who won the Friends’ limited drawing for the 14K blister pearl necklace? Wenda is our lucky winner! She attended our monthly luncheon with Friends’ Member, Pat Cronin, and took that opportunity to purchase a ticket for a chance to win the necklace. What great luck for it to be the winning ticket! You can see her gracious and beautiful smile as she models it! Join us in our congratulations to Wenda!
Thank you Wenda and all of you who purchased tickets in support of the Friends’ fundraising efforts! More important, thanks to the anonymous jewelry donor who gave this necklace to the Friends to share with the community and our Jewelry, Scarf and Handbag Committee for spotting its value! |
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