President’s Report

What do you think of when you hear “Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library?

For many in Rehoboth Beach, the first thing that comes to mind is “Annual Summer Cocktail Party!” And yes, that is a big deal. Amazing food. Fabulous setting in a private home. People you may know, and people you’d like to meet. It has been our signature fund-raiser for decades, often generating $10,000-$15,000 for the library.

We are also gaining recognition for our “30-Chances-to-Win Raffle”, as our members set up our raffle ticket sales table in front of the library on summer Sundays and Monday evenings. Last year, this raffle netted nearly $10,000 for the library.

But our “secret weapon” as a fund-raising organization is our membership. Dues and donations from our members have grown to become our largest source of funding. As our fiscal year 2021-2022 closes, we are proud to say that we have 209member households, who together contributed $48,451.00 (we can round up to almost $50,000?) for the library.

Which brings us to the question: where does all this money go? Why, it goes to you, the library patron, in the form of new books, periodicals, and DVDs. It goes to you and your families as programs that the library offers for kids and adults of all ages. It becomes a computer table, a comfy chair, new shelving. All these things are funded almost entirely through the Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Library.

That’s why the Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library ask you to give generously to our organization. Join or renew your membership and consider whether you could participate at a higher level. Then, the next time someone mentions the Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library, the first think you will think is “I belong to that group! My participation is making a difference for the Rehoboth Beach community.”

We thank you for joining us in this important effort. We promise: the return on your “investment” will be immense.

Kathy Ackerman