FOCCL February 2024 Update
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Marla Kimmes
Donna Schmidt
Janet Slater
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January General Meeting
Thanks to Captain Bob Beville and Dianna Ryan, outreach coordinator for Captains for Clean Water for an informative presentation at our January 20th meeting. Over 40 members and guests attended to learn about the importance of keeping our Southwest Florida water paradise clean and enjoyable for generations to come.
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Burrowing Owl Festival
Saturday, February 24
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The annual Burrowing Owl Festival sponsored by the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will take place at Rotary Park in Cape Coral on February 24th. FOCCL will have a booth at the festival to publicize our organization, encourage kids ages 5-12 to learn about the endangered Smalltooth Sawfish and draw a picture to enter the 18th Annual Coloring the Earth Environmental Art Contest sponsored by FOCCL. For more details on the festival check out their website 2024 Burrowing Owl Festival.
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Southwest Florida Reading Festival 25th Anniversary
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Saturday, March 2, 2024
Fort Myers Regional Library
2450 First Street, Fort Myers
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This year marks 25 years celebrating the power of reading at the Southwest Florida Reading Festival. It will be held on March 2nd at the Fort Myers Library Campus in downtown Fort Myers. There will be all kinds of activities for readers, including author presentations, book sales and a free book for every child and teen who attends! FOCCL is a long-standing sponsor of the Festival. We will have a booth to publicize our organization, encourage kids ages 5-12 to learn about the endangered Smalltooth Sawfish and draw a picture to enter the 18th Annual Coloring the Earth Environmental Art Contest sponsored by FOCCL. For more details about the Festival visit www.readfest.org and download the app on your smartphone for up to the minute information!
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General Membership Meeting
Saturday, March 23, 2024
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Join us for light refreshments at 9:30 AM followed by what is sure to be an exciting presentation from the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife. CROW is a teaching hospital and visitor education center dedicated to saving wildlife through state-of-the-art veterinary care, research, education, and conservation medicine. Following this presentation we will have our business meeting.
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We have many opportunities for volunteers this winter! The FOCCL will have booths at both the Burrowing Owl Festival on February 24th and the Southwest Reading Festival on March 2nd to help children with drawings for our annual Coloring the Earth Environmental Art Contest. To volunteer at either of the festivals reach out to alessialeathers@yahoo.com. A few hours in the morning or afternoon would be a big help to Alessia who is organizing this event for the 18th year!
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 The April Book Sale is just around the corner, April 18-20, with set up day on April 17th. Mary Achilles has done a wonderful job coordinating our past three sales and is ready to hand the baton to a new organizer. There are several experienced members on the coordination team and one person is needed to lead the team and coordinate volunteers. If you're interested in this position please send an email to booksale@capefriends.org.
As always we are depending on a large group of volunteers to help with set up, sales, and tear down. Sign up sheets for specific days and time slots will be available at the General Meeting on March 23.
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FOCCL Board Proposal to Increase Annual Dues
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The Board of Directors is proposing to increase annual family membership dues from $15 to $20 effective with 2025 calendar year dues. The dues increase is estimated to raise annual revenue $1,200 to $1,300. No change to life dues, $150, and we propose to eliminate annual business dues, $75. Since the last dues increase in 2015, excluding 2020 and 2021, annual revenue from all sources is flat, and we have absorbed cost increases while continuing to provide a consistent level of funding support for the library. The dues increase will help to maintain today’s level of annual funding.
Where does the annual funding go:
- $11,000 pays for a portion of in-house programming for kids, teens, and adults, and the Summer Reading Program, which provides free books and activities for hundreds of children. Examples of programming can be found on the library online calendar of events at www.leegov.com/library, (choose topic “Events and Programs”, then choose Cape Coral, browse by month.)
- $6,000 pays for Book Page Magazine, insurance policy required by Lee County, Art Gallery & Butterfly Garden supplies and equipment, and $3,500 sponsorship for the SWFL Reading Festival.
Since 2015 the cost of Book Page Magazine increased $340/year, (current cost $1,300/year), and the insurance policy for the county is $630/year. Operating costs to support book sale events increased $600/year for book storage and $650/year for moving companies and these costs are competitive based on recent quotes. There have been no annual business members since before 2000, when local businesses were recruited to join for large fundraising needs, such as building expansion. More recently, we’ve had success asking businesses for donations-in-kind for specific events, such as bags for book sale events.
On Dec. 31 we had $38,000 in the bank but it’s not all surplus to requirements. We need a reserve for operating cash flow and estimate $15,000 to $20,000 is available to fund future library enhancements. For example, last year we used $14,000 of the surplus to fund interactive play walls for the children's section and shaded seating for the butterfly garden. In 2018 we provided $20,000 toward the purchase of tables for the conference and meeting rooms.
Per FOCCL bylaws, membership must approve changes to dues levels by majority vote in a Membership meeting. The proposal was reviewed in the Jan. 20 Membership meeting and answers to audience questions are provided above. The president of the board will ask for motions to move the proposal to vote by raising of hands at the upcoming Annual Membership meeting on March 23. You must be present to vote.
We are very grateful for your financial contributions and volunteer service. Send email to president@capefriends.org if you have any questions. Hope to see you at the March meeting!
FOCCL Board of Directors
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Dear Friends,
We had a good crowd at the January Membership meeting to hear how Captains for Clean Water has evolved in their mission to restore and protect Florida waterways. It’s amazing what a grassroots organization can accomplish with the right mix of generous donors and dedicated volunteers, just like us! And we have grown in 50+ years to be the mighty oak which our founders envisioned and worked hard to cultivate.
Our work continues with the same mission as old just with different leadership, and now it’s my turn to move on. It’s my pleasure to announce that Teresa Goulding, our current secretary, is the candidate for president. If no one else comes forward she will be approved by acclamation and installed at the Annual Membership meeting on March 23. Teresa has been involved with a variety of tasks that have moved FOCCL forward in the past 4+ years and now she’s investing in our future. She’ll do a great job!
I am also excited to announce that Anne Keane is the candidate for vice president, a position that has been open since 2019! She will also be approved by acclamation and installed on March 23. I look forward to working with her and know she will bring fresh ideas to the table.
I’m staying on the board as treasurer instead of immediate past president, and will continue to work on various committees. I encourage new and old members alike to invest their time and talent in our worthy cause. Read our emails to stay informed about volunteer opportunities. Book sale events are big fundraisers, and the April sale is right around the corner. They are a lot of fun and a great way to get started volunteering or, if you’ve helped in the past, step up and lead the team as volunteer coordinator.
My thanks to fellow board members for their support the past 4+ years, especially Monica Rahman for her mentorship, generosity, and leadership; and Mary Achilles for her leadership, including serving as volunteer coordinator for the last 3 book sale events. And to Dora Schilling, our awesome branch manager/principal librarian, I enjoyed working with you for the betterment of this wonderful library.
Sincerely,
Dawn LaVacque
email: president@capefriends.org (until March 24!)
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Looking for a Book Club but don’t want the responsibility of hosting the group at your home? The library offers a Book Discussion program on the first Wednesday of the month in the Conference room, typically from 11AM-12PM. Find titles of featured books and program timing on the Library online calendar. Books for next month’s program are available for checkout on a shelf behind the Circulation desk.
Upcoming Titles:
February 7 - The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye
March 6 – Last Train to Paradise by Lee Standiford
April 3 - Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger
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On Exhibit in Library Art Gallery
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Through February, exhibitors on all walls and in the cases are the Weavers of Char-Lee. Over 70 beautiful hand-made examples are now on display. In March through April, we're looking forward to watercolor paintings by Kay Foote on the walls.
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Website: CapeFriends.org
Photos from Events: CapeFriends.org/photo_gallery
Annual Calendar: CapeFriends.org/calendar
Follow us on Facebook: Friends of the Cape Coral Library
Hotline Message Ph.# 239-349-2572
Cape Coral Public Library Calendar of Events.
Contact Library Ph.# 239-533-4500
Subscribe to Library newsletter: leegov.com/library/programs, go to bottom of page, click on subscribe now!
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