Brighton Library Hosts Gala Fundraiser: “Booked for the Evening”

The Brighton District Library will host its second annual gala fundraiser, "Booked for the Evening,” Friday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton. Guests will enjoy appetizers, dinner, entertainment and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $50 per person or $450 for a table of 10. Seating is limited. Tickets are available online at http://brightonlibrary.info/2013_gala or by calling the Brighton Library 810-229-6571ext. 211.

Auction items this year will include a private VIP wine tasting tour to Chateau Chantal, located on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, a private dinner for six provided by Wooden Spoon Restaurant, day trip getaways, Detroit Pistons tickets, a trip for 2 to Soaring Eagle Casino, an autographed silver Detroit Lions football, several golf packages, jewelry, gift baskets, a children’s birthday party at the Library, dining, art and more.

This year’s event, with a suggested cocktail attire of black, white and ”read” all over will set a festive mood to the evening. Guests will enjoy the Library’s signature Book Jacket Fashion Show featuring local personalities wearing one of a kind book theme inspired clothing art and piano jazz played by Ed Rutkowski.

Last year, a sold out crowd helped raise more than $15,000 which went toward books and materials, literacy outreach and technology. Guests also purchased twelve shade trees as part of the Library’s commitment to energy conservation. This year’s efforts will focus on two areas, materials acquisition and Download Destination.

“Materials acquisition continues to be a priority. The library circulates upward of 40,000 items per month. To meet the needs of the community, books, reference material, manuals, magazines and newspapers are needed,” said Dr. Nancy B. Johnson, Director of the Brighton District Library.”

“Download Destination is a free 24/7 downloadable electronic book option available to library patrons. The more patrons the library has using this service, the more the library pays for licensing. Last year, numbers doubled to 20,000 and are estimated to grow,” noted Jane Clarke, President of the Library Board of Trustees. “The gala will be an entertaining evening and a great way to make this happen.”

Honorary co-chairs and auctioneers for this year’s gala will again be Pamela McConeghy, president and CEO of the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce, and Kate Lawrence, Livingston County Cmmissioner, former Mayor of Brighton and owner of Lawrence Auto Body in Brighton. “The Brighton District Library draws our community together every day. Booked for the Evening is a fun way to give back to the Library,” said Lawrence.