Nov. 3 – Charlotte
By Arden McLaughlin
Time to grab your family and friends, sneakers, and running tights to support the third annual Rock & Read 5k Run hosted by the Friends of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. This year’s race and festival will be held Nov. 3 and will start and end at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library: Scaleybark Branch. Registration is available at www.cmlibraryfriends.org.
All proceeds from the 2012 Rock & Read 5k will benefit the library’s books and materials budget.
The Friends of the Library created the Rock & Read 5k in an effort to bring together community members during the budget crisis in 2010. What started as a group of volunteers wanting to create awareness and fundraising opportunities for their library system has become a signature event.
“So many folks run each Saturday morning for the pure joy of feeling their feet hit the pavement and the exhilaration of our stunning community landscape, “ said Jon Davis, 5k committee chair.. “We want to capture the joy and exhilaration of a Saturday morning run and step it up a notch to include knowing each step you take benefits one of our community’s most valued treasures, our public library system.”
Throughout the race you’ll be treated to music by local musicians at each mile marker as you venture through the Scaleybark neighborhood.
Upon ending the race you’ll be treated to local bands in the large Scaleybark library branch parking lot while you enjoy food and drink provided by our sponsors. And if you’re feeling especially festive, the after-party will also include fresh mimosas and local beers.
How Can I Participate?
Opportunities for participation in this year’s 5k festivities are plentiful. If you’re a runner, enter the 5k race. We will have prizes for the top male and female runners. We’ll also have a 1-Mile fun run. (Walkers are welcome on both courses.)
Your children will also be able to sprint for prizes in our Kids’ Dash, held in the parking lot of the Scaleybark branch. And if you’re not a morning person you have the option to make a donation and join the Sleep In team. No excuses; the Rock & Read has a place for each person in the community.
New to the Rock & Read this year will be a team fundraising aspect. Similar to other local and national team fundraising, individuals participating in the Rock & Read can get family, friends, and co-workers to donate to their team to raise money for the library system. For more information about team fundraising please contact Arden McLaughlin at amclaughlin@cmlibrary.org or 704-416-0705.
To What Will the Friends Give the Money?
The Friends specifically chose to focus on raising funds for the library’s books and materials budget because the organization views these items as the necessity for the system. Though Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s system boasts thousands of programs each month, without books, e-books, and other materials like computer software, the library would cease to exist in its more natural form.
In the past three years we have had approximately $1.5 million cut from our collection budget, which resulted in almost 150,000 fewer books and materials purchased than our community needs to meet demands and desires.
Though we have begun to see a slight increase in funding, we’re still far behind our peer library systems. We currently have $2 million to purchase materials for our community when we need $4 million to adequately meet the needs.
Ready to Rock & Read to show your support for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library? Visit www.cmlibraryfriends.org and get registered today!
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About Friends of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
The Friends of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is a nonprofit organization established to champion the efforts of the public library system. Their mission is to support the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library as a vocal advocate before elected officials, community leaders, and citizens at large and to raise funds to help achieve a level of excellence.
