Thank You, Volunteers!
The Fairfax Library Foundation proudly recognized Patrick J. Dexter for more than a decade of dedicated service as a valuable Board Director and Chair of the Fairfax Library Foundation; exemplary contributions as an active member of the Public Relations, Board Resources and Executive Committees; securing ExxonMobil sponsorship of the Capital Book Festival, Children’s Foreign Language Collections, A Platinum Jubilee!, Art in the Pages, Amazon.com Wish List book drive and Community Summer Jobs Program internships which resulted in substantial enhancements to the Fairfax County Public Library benefitting individuals who live, work or study in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax today and well into the future.
Helen Burnett is a lifelong lover of the library and speaks highly about the unlimited wealth of information that it offers. She has spent many hours volunteering for both the Fairfax County Public Library and Fairfax County Public School libraries. She is proud that her children are avid readers and committed library users. Helen currently volunteers for the Fairfax Library Foundation and states, “For me, the library was always a haven of peace and civility in addition to being a source of unending knowledge. We need to make sure that this wonderful resource is always available to all of the citizens of Fairfax County.”
Thank You, Interns!
In the summer of 2009 Priscilla Linn, Westfields High School Student, assisted the Library Foundation and Internet Services Department (ISD) through the Fairfax County Government's internship program. Priscilla helped the staff by updating forms and creating multiple materials in preparation of the new fiscal year.
An Administration of Justice student at Northern Virginia Community College, Yafet Girmay was selected to support both the Foundation and Library ISD thanks to the Liberty's Promise internship program. Yafet’s professionalism and dependability were cultivated, in part, through his experience as a church youth organizer and recognized through the 2007 Senior Award from the Chantilly Pyramid Minority Student Achievement Committee.
The Library Foundation staff welcomed another intern, sponsored by Liberty’s Promise. During the fall months, Samantha Paz , supported both the Library’s ISD and the Library Foundation while attending Sanford Brown College. During the internship, she honed office skills and learned a great variety of things including Web site creation and maintenance. She also exuded the time and patience to help secure sources of funding which help to keep the libraries available to the public.
“Thanks to everyone for helping me learn so much and giving me the best opportunity I could ever have!’ - Samantha Paz
Art in the Pages -- Thanks Volunteers!
The success of this first-ever public art sculpture project is possible thanks to a collaborative partnership among
the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL), the Fairfax Library Foundation
and Signature Sponsor, Verizon in addition to the support of numerous volunteers!
Much of the initial planning grant application to the Arts Council of Fairfax County was written by FCPL Grants Department volunteer, Mike Kogan. After the grant was approved, the planning phase steering committee was led by Alvah Beander, a volunteer with the Friends of the Sherwood Regional Library and the library foundation. The Art in the Pages implementation phase included volunteer committee members and co-chaired by volunteer Foundation Directors, Patrick Dexter of ExxonMobil and Sally Merten of George Mason University.
Friends Groups comprised of dedicated volunteers sponsored statues for their respective branches at the Burke Center Library, the City of Fairfax Regional Library, the Kings Park Library, the Oakton Library, the Patrick Henry Library, the Pohick Regional Library and the Sherwood Regional Library. An anonymous volunteer sponsored an Art in the Pages statue for the George Mason Regional Library in honor of the continued support to the library system from the George Mason Friends.
Under the supervision of Fairfax Library Foundation Chair, Joan Kane and Director, Paula Koeck-Gomez, Southland Concrete donated and delivered the bases in coordination with Interstate Worldwide Relocation representatives who moved statues into place at no cost to the project. Paula was instrumental in securing the generous support of Southland Concrete. Additionally, she attracted other sponsors such as Trowbridge Steel, helped to plan the initial project and personally assisted with the final statue deliveries.
The Fairfax County Public Library and the Fairfax Library Foundation expresses sincere appreciation to every volunteer who helped to make this project a success.
FCPL STAR Volunteer Awards
The following Library Foundation supporters were recognized at the Fairfax County Public Library's STAR Volunteer Awards event on April 7, 2009.
Exceptional Service
Joan Kane enthusiastically supported the Art in the
Pages public art sculpture project beyond her role as the Fairfax
Library Foundation chair. She manned the artist workspace; prepared
for the paint-in event for sponsors; sponsored a large statue and identified
a display location; recruited other sponsors; worked with media for publicity;
assisted in over 3 days of statue deliveries in all weather and met artists
and sponsors for photos at many of the completed statue locations.
Community Partners
Interstate
Worldwide Relocation moved all of the statues to the artist workspaces,
back to the former branch for the paint-in, to the display location, some were
returned to the workspace for repairs and back to the display location.
Southland Concrete designed, poured and delivered specialized concrete bases to the former library, then coordinated with Interstate to deliver bases in tandem with the sculptures in all weather.
Volunteer Fairfax Awards
Joan Kane is nominated as the Volunteer Fairfax Adult Volunteer award as an expression of appreciation for demonstrating outstanding volunteer service due to the sheer breadth of tasks demanded by Art in the Pages. Joan exhibited relentless dedication throughout 2008 and beyond as a variety of issues and opportunities emerged throughout the planning and execution of this unique first-time project.
Joan helped to seek a signature sponsor. Verizon demonstrated faith in the project and the leadership by committing to that sponsorship.
Joan helped encourage the many parties required to secure the former City of Fairfax Regional Library building.
Joan communicated with numerous artists and manned that primary artist workspace on a regular basis for weeks. She led preparations and planning for the artist paint-in event for sponsors.
An avid friend and fund-raiser, Joan convinced Southland Concrete to create, transport and affix each of the 500 pound bases pro-bono. After personally sponsoring a statue, she secured financial support. Others raising more than $282,000 in sponsorships and in-kind support was attracted by the project.
Interstate Worldwide Relocation voluntarily moved more than 30 statues. Joan assisted in personally overseeing most of the statue transports and placements.
Publicity of the project included promotional spots made possible by Joan, who worked with local print media reporters. Art in the Pages was featured in the Washington Post, and other newspapers and radio stations. Joan joined the Foundation’s Executive Director to star in television spots aired by cable channels such as Cox and on WUSA 9 News.
Thanks largely to Joan’s exceptional dedication in successfully tackling fundraising, publicity, logistical management, and more described above, Art in the Pages was a success that will continue to be enjoyed by so many throughout our community!