Submitted by Kathy Trombacco
The Friends of the Madison Public Library, a nonprofit organization, will honor The Thursday Morning Club at its annual Gala Benefit to be held on Saturday, March 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the librarywhich is located at 39 Keep Street, Madison. “The club founded the Friends of the Madison Library in 1938, so it is most appropriate that the Friends honor their founder on the Library’s 80th anniversary” said Sylvia Luber, Chairman of the Friends. “The Thursday Morning Club has contributed so much, not only to the library, but also to Madison and the surrounding area, that it is a privilege to recognize their work. Many on our library board are also members of the club as are most of the volunteers who prepare the mailing of the Friends’ newsletters,” she added.
“The Thursday Morning Club is 122 years old,” said Carol Schessler, club president. “The club’s founders anticipated the needs of Madison and contributed to the educational, social, and recreational fabric of the town at the turn of the century. In 1906, they hired the first District Nurse; in 1907, they began the Shade Tree Commission, and in 1908, they opened the first playground, at what is now Dodge Field, which they operated until 1924 when the Borough assumed responsibility for its operation.
Luber added, “In 1924, a bequest from member Mary B. Cash enabled the club to construct a Settlement House, now known as the Madison Community House, at 25 Cook Avenue. Today the club sponsors a Preschool, Before and After School Care Programs, and after-school enrichment classes. More than 25 local organizations also use the Community House as their meeting place. “Michal Holzman, a past president and current chair of the Archiving Project of the club, will give more of the club’s background at the Gala,” said Luber.
The Friends will also formally welcome the library’s new director, Lynn Favreau, who began on May 1, 2017. Lynn was the former Director of Mountainside Public Library. In addition to her graduate degree in Library Science from McGill University in Montreal, she earned a Diploma of Education and taught elementary education classes before becoming a reference librarian. “The Friends have enjoyed working with Lynn and look forward to another successful year at the library.”
Wine and beer, and a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared by the Catering Department of the Thursday Morning Club will be served at the March 10 Gala Benefit at the library.
All are cordially invited to attend. Invitations have been mailed and are also available at the front desk of the library, as well as tickets for a fund-raising event with prizes. Reservations also can be made online at http://friendsmadisonnjlibrary.org Admission is $50 per person. Checks should be made payable to Friends of the Madison Public Library and mailed to 39 Keep Street, Madison, NJ 07940 along with the RSVP card. Cancelled checks will serve as a receipt; no tickets will be mailed.
Proceeds from the annual Gala Benefit will be used to support special library programs for children, teens and adults, and to expand the book and media collections. The Friends also fund new museum passes as part of the library’s popular Museum Pass Program. Adult education programs sponsored by the Friends include Drew University Mini-courses, “Tech Tuesdays”, and the Summer Seminar Series that is co-sponsored with the Madison Senior Center. Music, movies, app parties, “Games Day”, and workshops are among the popular family events also made possible by the Friends.
For information about the Gala Benefit or the Friends of the Madison Public Library, please visit friendsmadisonnjlibrary.org.
(above, l-r) Rose Mary Dinnhaupt, Sylvia Luber, Michal Holzman, and Carol Schessler.
Photo by Kathy Trombacco.
