Frankie Pruitt, long-time patron of the library, and her greatgrandaughter Laura, love to visit FLPL!
To read a bit more about Frankie and her love for the library, see page 8!
ISSUE 9
SUMMER 2022
Celebrate. Your Reader . Backpacks for Checkout... page 3
Volunteer Spotlights... page 4
Bookin’ It 5k... page 11
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1 Message from the Director 2 Message from the Library Board Chair / Backpacks 4 Intern & Volunteer Spotlights 6 Summer Reading 2022 7 Thank You to Our Sponsors! 8 Generations of Library Lovers / Library Services 10 Friends of the Library / Bookin’ It 5k 12 In Memoriam / Memorials and Honorariums Say Cheese!
Our free, public library programs may be photographed by staff members for library promotional use in print, on our website, and on social media. Please let library staff know if you want/need to opt out of photo opportunities.
Library Board of Directors
Vince Brewton, Chair Ann Taylor Wilson, Vice Chair Andy Frith Dion Johnson Evan Thornton
Library Hours Mon-Thurs: 10am - 7pm Fri-Sat: 10am - 5pm Sun: 1 - 5pm 350 N Wood Ave Florence, AL 35630 (256) 764-6564 www.FLPL.org
On the Cover: Frankie Pruitt, and Great-Granddaughter, Laura Craft enjoy a program together in Youth Services!
Design by Samantha Mitchem Edited by Sherhonda Allen Photography by Samantha Mitchem and Sherhonda Allen
Message from the Director
Timothy Healy, former President of the New York Public Library, once said, “The most important asset of any library goes home at night - the library staff.” And I would also like to add, the library patrons! In December of this year, we will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the FlorenceLauderdale Public Library opening in our current facility. As we anticipate this milestone in the life of our facility, we also want to acknowledge and express our gratitude for the people who fill these spaces every day with excitement as they share knowledge, information, and ideas with one another. Without our people patrons, volunteers, interns, and staff this would just be a beautiful building waiting for its visitors to enter the doors of discovery and learning. It is the people who support and encourage us, inspire us to be innovative, to try something new, and challenge us to adapt as we endeavor to meet the needs of the community. It is also the people who keep our programs and services going, through willingness to volunteer, passion for teaching a skill to others, and service. Join us for this issue of Renew, all about our people. We want to celebrate YOU! It is with the utmost gratitude that we take a look behind the scenes into the lives of those who keep us moving forward, who challenge us to be better, and who demonstrate what it means to truly serve our community.
Abby Carpenter Executive Director
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Friends and Patrons of FLPL, As we approach the twentieth anniversary of the opening of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library’s beautiful facility, it is appropriate to reflect and give thanks for the incredible support our Library receives every day. To all who contribute time, talent, and financial support to make the Library one of the crown jewels of our community, we thank you. Our Director and Staff are tireless in their effort to make the Library exceptional. Their dedication should make us all proud. FLPL is an essential component in maintaining an economically vibrant downtown while at the same time delivering resources to every part of Lauderdale County. We are committed to providing every child, every senior citizen, and every resident of Lauderdale County the books and virtual tools they need to lead successful lives. We are proud to play an important role in the unsurpassed quality of life in Lauderdale County and the City of Florence. As we look forward to the next decade of the Library, we truly believe the best is yet to come. Outdoor classrooms and learning spaces are in the design phase, in-person events are filling up our meeting rooms, and our energy conservation project continues to provide considerable savings that we are reinvesting in our Library. Thank you again for your support for the FlorenceLauderdale Public Library. Please come and see what is happening in your Library.
Sincerely,
Vince Brewton FLPL Board Chair
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The Muscle Shoals of the Tennessee River
This year’s Summer Reading theme was Oceans of Possibilities. While we may not have any oceans nearby, we do have the Muscle Shoals! While that’s usually how everyone refers to our special area of North Alabama, Local History Assistant Jordan Collier presents us with this question - What exactly are “shoals?” Shoals are shallow places in any body of water, like the ocean, a lake, or a river. They’re places where oftentimes the water is not deep enough for boats to safely pass over them. The Muscle Shoals were a section of rapids, islands, reefs, and shallows in the Tennessee River stretching from Brown’s Island to Patton Island – a distance of nearly 40 miles! In that distance, the river dropped more than a hundred feet in elevation, causing a cascade of rushing water over the exposed rocks. Imagine a waterfall 100 feet high – now imagine stretching that waterfall over 40 miles. It was sort of like a staircase with lots of tiny steps with water flowing over them from top to bottom. If you’d like to learn more about the Tennessee River, stop by the Circulation Desk to check out our Tennessee River Backpack!
Explore Your Own Backyard with our Backpacks! What better way to explore the wonders of local nature, culture and history than to just grab a backpack and go! Recent times have built our awareness for what’s in our own backyard. A “staycation” can be a hiking weekend with the family, or a cozy day at home getting acquainted with how local musicians put the Shoals on the international stage. Have you always wanted to try your hand at painting, or baking, maybe put a seedling in soil and watch it grow? Invite family and friends to share in your experiences of the backpacks and build memories that will last a lifetime! The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library is pleased to offer eight themed backpacks with supplies and activities to loan to library patrons. These backpack themes include: Architecture, Art, Baking, Gardening, Music, Native American History, Nature, and the Tennessee River.
How to Check Out a Backpack
Backpacks are located at the library’s Circulation Desk. Backpacks are checked out to patrons ages 18 and older whose library card is in good standing. Patrons checking out a backpack are responsible for any missing items. See the circulation desk for itemized replacement costs. A $10 cash, refundable deposit is required at checkout. There is a $5 a day late fee. Borrowers must sign a “Backpack Borrowing Agreement”, agreeing to the terms of the Backpack Circulation Policy. 1 backpack may be checked out at a time per household. Backpacks are not to be returned in the book drops located outside or inside the library. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number LS-249947-OLS-21. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
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Meet Ruthie Ruthie worked with the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library during her senior year at Florence High School through its Launch Career Development Program. The program provides high school students the opportunity to gain job experience by interning part time with local employers. Launch’s ultimate mission is to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and problem-solving abilities they can use as they pursue their chosen career.
Did you select FLPL for your job site, or was it selected for you? I asked if I could work at the library! I wanted to work in something involving books and I’ve always loved visiting the library.
Give us some background! I’m from Florence, AL! I’ve participated in LAUNCH, Key Club, French Club, and the National Honor Society.
What kinds of duties did you have while you worked here at the library? I worked in the Young Adult section. I helped with displays, clubs, and whatever else they needed done. I also worked on cataloging the fiction section by series.
Where will you be attending college and what will you study? I will be attending the University of Virginia! I’m planning to major in English. I chose English because I’ve always loved it.
What was your favorite among the things you did here? I loved coming up with the monthly display! It was always fun coming up with something new.
What are your career goals after college? I want to move to a city and start working in a book publishing company.
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Meet Rico
Rico Chen said he started coming to the library about five years ago. Now 13 years old, Rico decided to apply as a teen volunteer for the first time last summer. He has continued his volunteer work this year, too. “I had lots of down time that summer,” he said. “I was still virtual that year. My mom wanted me to do something productive. This library is really good, so I decided to become a volunteer.” As a volunteer, Rico helps Mrs. Kristen and Miss Michelle with shelving books and preparing for the many programs the library offers to teens. “Volunteering definitely takes you behind the scenes of how the library operates, especially how the programs are set up,” Rico said. “The library is under a budget, but it doesn’t feel like low cost. It’s very high quality.” He said he doesn’t personally know what the budget is, but volunteering has helped him see “how you can take a small budget and turn it into what seems like an unlimited one. This library is not what you think,” he continued. “It’s not . . . just books, it’s not just being quiet. It’s still about reading (and) checking out books (but) the programs at the library take it another step, especially book-related programs.” Rico praised the staff and programming. “When you usually think about the library you think about being calm, but this library is much more … It’s quite crazy, but in a good way. They’re good programs, and good librarians. It’s overall excellent and great.”
Meet Reagan Thirteen-year-old Reagan Vaughn started her library volunteer work in the summer of 2021. “I like the library,” she said when asked why she decided to volunteer. “I like the people. I like the strange, the oddity,” she paused and smiled, “also because I saw Rico doing some sorting with beadwork and I thought: I want to do that!” Her volunteer duties include setting up for Miss Michelle’s animal tales, which is one of the many programs offered this year during the Summer Reading Program (SRP). “We also get the supplies ready for Pin and Paint”. She said in addition to helping with programming prep work, she likes “the special access” she gets as a volunteer. “I have a little bit of priority,” she said, and laughed. “I get to see what’s in the snack room!” Her embracing personality draws out other teens, and she is often seen and heard freely chatting to her peers during programming. She has also encouraged friends to come to the library. “I actually got three of my friends to come,” she said. “I say: There’s so many fun events. They’re really accepting (at the library)”. Reagan said her library volunteer work will help her with her college applications. She said she would like to become a teacher, preferably for sixth grade. When asked why she was drawn to grades sixth or higher and not sixth or lower, she answered in typical, fun, Reagan style. “The kids … .they’re more tolerable at that age,” she said. “They’re a little dramatic (but) it’s better than sitting around worrying about them eating glue!”
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Oceans of Possibilities
Summer Reading 2022
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Thank You to our sponsors! 306 BBQ Alabama Outdoors Family of Alessandra Aguado All the Best Bank Independent Bare Beauty Skin Studio Birmingham Barons The Carriage Florence Catherine James Chick-Fil-A Florence Children’s Museum of the Shoals Family of Clara and Harrison Bishop Crockett Shoals Tubing Company Custom Cafe Brands Dandelion and Co. The Donut Shoppe First United Methodist Church Florence Ladies Circles 1 & 6 Integrated Corporate Solutions (ICS) The Ivey Family Jerry and Glenda Lewis Katie and Jeff Dow King Drive-In Lost Pizza Co. McDonald’s of Lauderdale County Mefford Jewelers The Pie Factory Florence Preeti Telang Ricatoni’s River City Magic Camp Rivertown Coffee Rocket City Trash Pandas Rollies Shoals Nail & Spa Skyzone Florence Soul Wingery The Spinning Spoke The Stricklin Hotel Sweetwater Bakery Tennessee Aquarium Turbo Coffee Wheeler Lake Scenic Cruise Yoga House Florence Yummies Bakery Proceeds from Bookin’ It 5k
Our Summer Reading Program would not be possible without YOU!
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Generations of Library Lovers
In February 2022, a photo was posted on the library’s Facebook page (@FLPLibrary) with the following caption, “What is better than sitting in Grandmother’s lap while enjoying a good book at the library? We can’t think of anything!” This photo and its nostalgia of passing down a love of reading from one generation to another resonated with so many of our patrons as the photo was liked, shared, and commented on!
This wonderful photo (now on our cover) was taken the day Frankie Pruitt, her great-granddaughter Laura, and Laura’s two brothers attended the Youth Services program, “ABC’s Under the Trees.” A long-time patron, Ms. Pruitt said she first started using the “mobile” version of the library. “I used the library when it was a bookmobile, probably before 1960 when it would come by my house,” she said. Her constancy as a library patron has extended to bringing her children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren to enjoy the library’s collection and programming. “I enjoy reading,” she said, “and appreciate the selection of books to check out, and the convenient hours.” She tells us that, “The library is a beautiful building, and I’m proud to have this building in Florence.” She said she has also attended computer classes, which are helpful for someone her age. What does she want the community to know about the library? “There is a good selection of books, both fiction and nonfiction and a two-week checkout, which is long enough to finish reading them,” she said. “Everyone is so friendly and helpful.” Ms. Pruitt said she is glad the library offers programs for children. “All ages can acquire knowledge by listening,” she said. “Preschool programs are especially important for children who may not yet attend school.”
FLPL is so thankful for our legacy patrons like Ms. Pruitt! Muscle Shoals Regional Library Bookmobile, circa July 1955
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Photograph of Miss Marian Neill, Muscle Shoals Regional Bookmobile Librarian and students from Wilson School in Lauderdale County, circa 1948.
Photos provided by FLPL’s Digital Archives. Interested in seeing more? Visit Archive.FLPL.org!
The Wonder of Wonderbooks Thanks to a grant provided by the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities, the library is pleased to offer a collection of Wonderbooks in the Youth Services department. Each Wonderbook is a read-along with an audiobook player inside the cover. They can help improve literacy skills that will continue to be an advantage while growing and maintaining reading abilities, especially among people with intellectual disabilities.
“Wonderbooks, which are all-inclusive audiobooks, can be a great resource for people of all ages with intellectual disabilities,” said Youth Services Director Jessica Hill. “We also believe that Wonderbooks will be of great use to educators in our public schools that work with and advocate for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.” “For children that are neurodivergent, audiobooks can aid in comprehension. Children with autism spectrum disorder or other disorders, and who may not inherently understand things like inflection or sarcasm on the page, can actually hear those cues with an audiobook. We believe Wonderbooks are the best option for people with developmental disabilities and their families because they are all-inclusive, and additional technology is not needed to listen to the audiobook.” The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,287,864.00 with 100% funding by ACL/ HHS. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official ACL policy and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.
Caleb Billings
Alexa Sparks Stacy Thornton
Tori Hebert
What Can You Do at Reference? by Caleb Billings, Reference Department Manager
The Reference Department offers a variety of services to library patrons. Our public computers provide internet access, all the major Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, & Powerpoint), and are connected to a printer that can do black-and-white or color prints. Other printing services include a copy machine and a printing email that patrons can email documents to if they need to print something they have on their phone or personal laptop. The second floor also houses our DVD and nonfiction book collections. The DVD collection contains a mix of movies from all genres, TV shows, and documentaries. The nonfiction book collection contains a variety of unique topics including a dedicated Alabama history section and a World Languages section that has language learning books as well as fiction books for children and adults in different languages. Magazines and newspapers can be found in the nonfiction book area, as well. From the Reference desk itself patrons can make ILL (Inter Library Loan) requests for books not in our collection, send faxes, sign in to use a private study room, and check out mobile Wi-Fi hotspots and guitars.
Have a question about any of these resources? Look for one of these familiar faces at the Reference Desk and they would be happy to help!
24/
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High-Speed Internet Access Proctoring Available! Call (256) 764-6564, ext. 125 for more information!
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Dear Patrons,
The Friends and FLPL would like to thank the Shoals Home Builders Association for their hard work on this project!
Bookstore Expansion
This quarter the Friends are celebrating the success of our first extra-booksale fundraising effort. We love our bookstore and would not be who we are without it, but in an effort to reach new potential supporters we hosted the "Bookin' It" 5K in June. Participants ran in memory of former Friends board member, Judy Jackson, who planned most of the race before unexpectedly passing away. I am happy to report continued progress on the transformation of the old cafe into an extension of the bookstore. A flurry of construction activity is currently underway and we cannot wait to see the end result. Finally, we look forward to the return of the in-person Friends Gala this autumn. Everyone was very complimentary of the no-show gala held during COVID lockdown and the precautionary period afterward, however this year we will again gather at the library for an evening of visiting with our old Friends and meeting members who joined during the hiatus. If you would like to become a member of the Friends, or want to renew a lapsed membership, please visit us online at https://flplfriends.square.site/ or come to the bookstore. Thank you again for your support and keep reading!
Debra Dombrowski, Friends of the Library President
Friends Officers 2021-2022
President - Debra Dombrowski Vice President - April Adams Secretary - Sarah Ware Treasurer - David Curott Bookstore Manager - Anne Smith Donations to the Friends Bookstore are accepted every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am - 2pm! They are also accepted every first Saturday from 10am - 2pm. For more information, visit FLPL.org/Friends.
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Memorials or honorariums to the Friends may be made by sending a check to: The Friends of the Library, P.O. Box 1178, Florence, AL 35631
FLPL.org/Friends (256) 764-6564, ext. 119 Mon- Sat: 10am - 4pm
Friends Membership Join Today! $15 - Reference
Includes: - Early access to Half Price Sales at the Friends Bookstore - Invitation to annual Friends Gala - Friends logo Book Bag
$25 - Nonfiction
Includes: - Early access to Half Price Sales at the Friends Bookstore - Invitation to annual Friends Gala -Choice of Friends logo Book Bag or Friends logo Ball Cap -Discounts to library events
$50+ - Fiction
Includes: - Early access to Half Price Sales at the Friends Bookstore - Invitation to annual Friends Gala - Friends logo Book Bag AND Friends logo Ball Cap -Discounts to library events
A Successful, Fun 5k Run The Bookin’ It 5k Fun Run was a great way to sweat for a good cause.
The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, along with Solid Rock Running Company, was a huge success and will return next year! Proceeds from the run benefited the library’s Summer Reading Program. We are so grateful to all the runners who came out to support their local public library! We’re also grateful to the sponsors of the event: Schneider Electric, Rosie’s Cantina, J.T. Ray Co., UNA College of Business and Technology Graduate Programs, Power Cleaning Equipment, Inc., Morgan Stanley- Aubrey Wilson, Certified Alarm, Ally Automotive Group, B. Electric, YMCA Shoals, Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa, Bank Independent, Alabama Cleaning Service, and Target. 5k Overall
Female Victoria Woods Male Hayden Haddock Female Master Elizabeth Lotz Male Master Lee Cosbie
5k Male (ages 1-14)
1st Jacob Hovater 2nd William Michael
5k Male (ages 15-19) 1st Malachi Carroll
5k Male (ages 20-29) 1st Cody Kilgoar
5k Male (ages 30-39)
1st Zach Kress 2nd Johnathan Powell
5k Male (ages 40-49) 1st Alex Aguado 2nd Steven Pattison
5k Male (ages 50-59) 1st Jorge Otzoy 2nd Mark Terwilliger 3rd Doug Tinkham
5k Male (ages 60-69)
1st Jesse Smith 2nd Ronnie Cartwright 3rd Jimmy Burns
5k Male 70 and older 1st Woody Wright
One Mile Fun Run
1st Henry Little 2nd Max Kuykendall 3rd Thomas Little
5k Female (ages 1-14)
1st Alessandra Aguado
5k Female (ages 20-29) 1st Alli Gower 2nd Sutton Gower
5k Female (ages 30-39) 1st Hannah Johnson 2nd Ana Kuykendall 3rd Rachel Bradford
5k Female (ages 40-49) 1st Brynn Albretsen 2nd Alexis Hambrick 3rd Taniya Woody
5k Female (ages 50-59) 1st Kristen Melton 2nd Belinda Terry 3rd Jane Tinkham
5k Female (ages 60-69) 1st Sherea Burns 2nd Carla Cartwright 3rd Betty Sparkman
5k Female 70 and older 1st Lorraine Mills 2nd Bebe Swinea
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In Memoriam...
Members of the Friends of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and the community at large lost three great friends and staunch supporters of the Friends Bookstore, the library, and the Shoals area. Nancy Gautney, Judy Jackson, and Jane Williams will always be remembered in our hearts with gratitude, love and appreciation.
Judith Jackson
Nancy Gautney
Judy Jackson was a newer Friends board member but in her relatively short time on the board she made a huge impact. When the Friends decided to spread their wings and attempt to fundraise outside the safe confines of book sales, Judy excitedly offered to help. That help quickly transformed into leading the effort to organize the library’s first-ever 5K run and fun walk. Until the day she was no longer able to make phone calls, organize people, and check items from her list of race tasks, Judy worked to ensure that wherever she was meant to be on the day of the race, her fellow committee members, and the community, were prepared for action. That was Judy in a nutshell: helping everyone around her until the last possible moment. She will be greatly missed.
Nancy Watson Gautney died February 22, 2022. She is sorely missed in the Bookstore! Nancy was ever present on Friday mornings at the desk in the Bookstore and always known to be helping customers - some of whom she referred to as “her regulars.” She was extremely well-read and could assist customers in finding just the right book. She enjoyed visiting with everyone coming into the Bookstore. But Nancy also worked behind the scenes helping sort, price, and put books out on the shelves for customers to buy. She could be counted on to help most any time with special projects we were doing for the Bookstore. Nancy also served on the Friends Board for two terms. She was a dedicated volunteer and a friend to many.
Jane Williams
The Friends Bookstore and Friends Board lost a dedicated volunteer with the passing of Jane Crow Williams on October 15, 2021. Jane faithfully worked at the desk helping customers on Wednesday afternoons when I first met her over a decade ago. She later served on the Friends Board and became the Friends Treasurer for several years while continuing to work in the Bookstore. Jane was always willing to “train” a new volunteer to work at the desk in the Bookstore - teaching them to use our complicated cash register and later seeing them through the transition to credit cards and our current iPad system. She could be counted on to come in on short notice and help anyone working the Bookstore desk to “correct errors” in balancing the money on their shift. She is very much missed!
Anne Smith, Debra Dombrowski, Anne Smith, by
by
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Bookstore Manager
by
President of the Friends
Bookstore Manager
MEMORIALS Adolph Abroms By Joy Willow James W. Buckley Elaine Griffin Vaunedia Henton Judith Thompson Jackson By Neighbors in Walnut Street Historic District Bill Dean By Ira and Daniel Waterman B.J. Dexter By James and Danna Thompson Jeff Eubanks Bill Reese By Shoals Writers’ Guild Susan Fortney By Roundtable of the Alabama Renaissance Faire Porter Goodman By Sedona Brewer, Katie Graham, and Samantha Mitchem Nancy Gautney By Gloria Brown By William and B.J. Cale By Abby Carpenter By David & Janice Curott By Bruce & Rhonda Dillard By Wendi Grant & Family By Jane Gough & Family By Jane Houston By Mark & Deborah Jaquette By Susan McGraw By Leigh Ann McKelway By Olin T. Mefford III By Lynda & Mark Milligan By Tracy Peronard By Anne Petty By Nolan Richards By Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals By Ira & Daniel Waterman By Patricia Watson By Rebecca White
Roland & Jeanne Hauck By Marion Nelson By Susie & Tim Scott By Warren Nelson By Ann Papparella John Higginbotham By Thomas and Sandra Murray By Lynn Murray Luxemburger Fitz Hill By Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals Judy Jackson By Debra Dombrowski Don Lokey By Elizabeth Bailey Ruth Ann McGee By Mark Smith By James and Danna Thompson Rita Montgomery By Sedona Brewer & Katie Graham Robert J. Osborn, Sr. By Amy & Cliss Darby Dennis Pitts By Sedona Brewer, Katie Graham, and Samantha Mitchem Jim Savage By Daniel Waterman Jane Williams By Gloria Brown Betty G. Wyatt By Jerri Ann Alexander
HONORARIUMS Jane Garland By Gloria Brown Vanessa Morse By Anne Roy Tamara Moody By Jessica Hill
DONATIONS Ellen Mitchell Redd Foundation
Jewish Federated Charities of the Shoals Robert Tanner
Thank you to everyone who has contributed monetary donations to FLPL and the Friends in 2022. Listed on these pages are all of our generous donors, along with the people who have been honored. This list reflects the memorials, honorariums, and donations for the year so far in 2022.