Mercer Library holds outdoor celebration

MERCER - It may have been planned out of concern for public health, but patrons and supporters of the Mercer Public Library said moving the annual fundraiser banquet outdoors was a refreshing change.

"It's really, really been perfect," said Beth Wetzler, president of the Friends of the Mercer Public Library. "I think it's so nice because it's a lot more available to more people."

The library typically has an annual dinner and silent auction. This year, the event was free to include food and refreshments. It was also outdoors on the library's new patio with umbrella covered tables and a garden. 

The silent auction items were on view inside the library, but the bidding is being done online through Oct. 1 at 32auctions.com/mercerlibrary. The funds will go to the Friends of the library. Without any major projects lined up this year, the event was a thank you for all the support to this point.

"We felt that was a really great way to give back to the community," Wetzler said. "So, we were able to do it for free."

Around 25 active members came together to set up the event and make the food. The response from the public was better than expected with a lot of tickets sold for the book baskets drawing. 

Opal Roberts, a member of the Friends, said the motivation started with volunteers saying they just didn't feel comfortable with the usual indoor dinner during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are usually around 120 people at the dinner and the Friends opted for an open house with hordevours.

With the rain and high winds on the days leading up to the open house, the volunteers feel fortunate to have had such warm and sunny weather on Saturday, she said. 

"We thought this will just be a nice thank you for the people who have supported us all these years," Roberts said. 

Wendy Thiede, a volunteer and past board member, said the event was weather dependent but it was necessary. Once the event started, it seemed like it was time for the change from the banquet, she said.   

"I think it's great," Thiede said. "I think for most of us, it's a lot easier than the sit-down dinner and the live auction."

Mike Shouldice, a Friends of the library member, said he enjoyed volunteering as a bartender for the celebration. He said the outdoor event proved to be much more sociable than a sit-down dinner.

"With a sit-down dinner, you have a person to your left and to your right and two people across the table from you, and so for the next hour, you're talking to four or five people," he said. "This way, you walk around and you meet other people."

Shouldice, who is also president of MECCA, a nonprofit cross-country skiing and snowshoe trail system in Mercer, said the organization saves money by utilizing the library's digital services rather than buying its own equipment. The MECCA members use the library scanner, copier and other resources, he said.

The library programming is also in tune with what the community needs, he said. The Tech Tuesdays are for teaching the beginners how to use their computers and hand-held devices and others can learn how to upgrade software and hardware. 

"The library is the center of Mercer," Shouldice said. "It's the hub of activity."

Teresa Schmidt, library director, said she was nervous about the weather and the turnout, but it couldn't have been any better. There were the core supporters who would have been at the indoor dinner but the outdoor event attracted a lot of interest from curious people passing by who would not otherwise have come. 

"People could bring their pets and so it's been really fun," Schmidt said.

Proceeds from the event provide funding for library items and services that are not typically covered in the library budget such as performers for children's programming and adult speakers for community events, she said. 

"We don't get money from the town for programming," she said. "So that's one of the biggest things that the Friends support in addition to projects like this (outdoor reading garden)."