Published: June 04, 2008 04:15 pm            

MS. TAKES: Doing good works has all sorts of nice returns

TERRE HAUTE — One of the advantages of retirement is that you have the leisure — and sometimes the energy — to do what a friend calls “good and charitable works.”

And, there is no reason that doing good for someone else can’t be fun. My Best Friend and I have found both fun and good works in volunteering for Friends of the Library.

We have enjoyed pricing the book donations which come in. Our fellow pricers are far more dedicated than we, but they do seem to appreciate any effort we make. There is also a fringe benefit. We get first look at almost anything that comes in! If it is a book we cannot live without, someone else prices it and we can buy it forthwith.

Alternatively, if we want to “borrow” a book to take home and read, we may do that. We are on the honor system to return it in a timely manner. We wouldn’t dream of betraying that trust.

Since we cannot commit to a regular schedule, we are merely on the substitute list for the book sales which take place on a regular schedule in the lobby downtown. Most of the regular are faithful and we are rarely called upon to substitute. But, there IS the mammoth three-day sale in May and we find that one of the highlights of our volunteer year.

The May event is a blockbuster in every sense of the word. It begins on a Friday evening following the annual meeting of Friends and is open that evening ONLY to members of Friends. Since membership is a bargain, a good many folks join up just for the privilege of having the first crack at the goodies.

The doors are flung open the next morning to all comers and the festivities continue through Sunday afternoon. Working a four-hour shift is a blast even though I find myself selling books that I wish I had seen first.

This year a family came through our check-out line. A young miss was protesting — near tears — that she wanted the Tinker Bell book. When it appeared in the stack they were buying — Tinker Bell selling for a whopping 30-cents — she quieted immediately. I asked if she wanted to carry that book personally and she nodded a shy, “Yes!” All other treasures were bagged and off they went, Children and adults, students and readers just for fun. They all come through having found a treasure.

Dealers too fill box after box and expect to turn a profit on bargains from Friends. And Friends certainly do good with the proceeds. Meanwhile, my BF and I have a wonderful time.



Liz Ciancone is a retired Tribune-Star reporter. Send e-mail to opinion@tribstar.com.

        

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