Cape Coral library volunteers celebrate 50 years of service
When the Cape Coral Library encompassed a storefront and lent its first book in 1962, the city’s population was 1,100. A decade later, a small group of ground-breaking, civic-minded women first known as the Little Acorns began a mission of raising money to support the library's daily operations and growth.
A 50th-anniversary celebration for the volunteer nonprofit Friends of the Cape Coral Library (FCCL) was held on Jan. 21 and featured remarks by organization presidents and local dignitaries, and tours of some of the major enhancements the group has helped facilitate. It was a perfect way to show how the FCCL has flourished over the years.
Dawn LaVacque, entering her fourth year at the organization’s helm, traced the evolution of the library to its current fourth location and the contributions and achievements of the organization and its six separate presidents. Achievements include eclipsing $500,000 in funds raised since its inception.
In saluting FCCL members, Mayor John Gunter offered that “People define the community.”
Mindi Simon, director of the Lee County Library System, said that FCCL tallied about 1,400 total volunteer hours last year, the most of any library in the system. “They are extremely dedicated,” she said.
County Commissioner Brian Hamman harbors a particularly strong kinship with FCCL. Beverly Woodburn is the oldest living organization president at 90, and it was during the middle of her 2001-03 tenure that the library doubled in size. Woodburn is Hamman's grandmother.
FCCL “gave her a purpose," he said. "She particularly liked helping to find lost books. She likened it to a scavenger hunt!”
The library is in County Commissioner Kevin Ruane’s district.
“I’m impressed that it’s the second-busiest in the county,” Ruane said.
FCCL’s main ways to raise funds are book, audiobook, CD and DVD sales — held twice a year, including April 21-22, and ongoing at the library plus online — guest author appearances and other special events. Items to sell are obtained via public donations and from the library. Organization membership meetings, free and open to the public, are held at the library on one Saturday morning every other month.
Recent FCCL fundraising has affected new interactive play walls in the children’s section, catalyzed by a request by Betsy Zeiss, a founding member and first president who died in 2020; current work toward completing shaded seating in the butterfly garden; 24/7 automated processing of returned books, and much more.
FCCL organizes art shows in the library’s gallery and main hall. Works by students of Cape Coral Oasis charter schools will be on view during March and April, followed by the annual kids’ art contest in May and June.
Monica Rahman, FCCL president from 2015-19, has been the art gallery chairperson since 2011. It’s been “her baby, a labor of love,” said LaVacque, who also credited Rahman with conducting publicity efforts, organizing other events and more.
“She has done so much,” said LaVacque. “We always felt libraries are a cultural center,” said LaVacque.
“The library is my home away from home,” added Rahman.
Other Friends’ presidents were Maria Maddalena (2003-05), who also spoke at the event, and Paula Novander (2011-13).
“We’re still going strong,” said LaVacque.
If you go
What: Cape Coral Public Library
Where: 921 Southwest 39th Terrace, Cape Coral
Information: Leelibrary.net. Visit capefriends.org or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Friends of Cape Coral Library still growing after 50 years
