By Bill Tate
Mrs. Gail Clifford is a strong believer in the old saying, "A penny saved is a penny earned."
As head librarian for the Middle School Library, she used this age-old adage in a "Pennies for the Library" campaign to raise $1,085 to buy reading chairs, books, and other items to create an inviting library atmosphere. Homeroom representatives from grades six, seven, and eight collected pennies each morning from their fellow classmates and deposited them in the library. The homerooms competed for the honor of being treated to lunch in the library as Mrs. Clifford's guests of honor. Homeroom teachers were spirited rivals in raising the campaign total, and Mrs. Diane Colby's seventh-grade homeroom won the contest by raising almost $110.
The campaign, which lasted from December 8-17, more than doubled the projected goal of $500. Mrs. Clifford's "dream total" was $700, but the faculty and students surprised her with a total approaching $1100. A Mini-Grant from the Parent Teacher Council and private contributions from several families will push the fund total even higher by the end of the school year.
"I was impressed with the way the students supported the program," Mrs. Clifford said. "I also enjoyed getting to know some of the students who were homeroom representatives."
The gifts purchased with the funds were presented to the library in January.