BERNARDSTON — A 24-hour read-athon fundraiser at Cushman Library raised $355 toward the purchase and installation of a new oil tank for the library, bringing the total amount raised to $2,674.
The library is now halfway to its goal of $5,000, and hopes to replace the existing in-ground tank before winter. Money has been raised through individual donations since March, through an old-time radio show on June 30 and the read-athon, held Saturday.
Participants in the read-athon got pledges from donors who could contribute a flat sum, by pages read or by time spent reading. Participants could take part for as many hours as they liked, and could spend the night in the library or camping across the street in Cushman Park.
Cushman Library’s Director Karen Stinchfield, who stayed in the library for the complete 24 hours, said 13 people came Saturday and six on Sunday. Many were adults thrilled by the idea of being in the library at night.
“People really responded to the idea of being in the library for 24 hours,” she said.
Stinchfield added that most of the money raised during the read-athon came from flat donations of $10 to $50.
“I loved being here really late at night snuggled up reading a book,” said Cathryn Thomas, president of the library’s board of trustees, who attended the read-athon from 9 p.m. to midnight Saturday and dropped in again Sunday. “It was so different — you never get to do that.”
The read-athon attracted dedicated bibliophiles and local residents who longed to devote more time to reading.
“This is a treat for me because I never give myself time to read,” said Jacqueline Lejeune, a library trustee, who attended the read-athon for three hours Sunday. “I think (the readathon) was a brilliant idea.”
However, Stinchfield and the members of the board said that holding the read-athon in the summer, and during a week with several other local events scheduled, made it difficult to attract participants. Stinchfield said that if the library holds another read-athon in the future, she is likely to hold it from 4 p.m. to midnight, when the event attracted the most attention from patrons.
“It’s a very noble and creative effort to get the library what it needs,” said Anne-Marie Mallon, a new library trustee who attended the read-athon Sunday. “It’s one more initiative that’ll get us where we need to be as far as the necessary funding goes.”
Regardless of turnout, Mallon went on to say that the event played an important role in bringing the community together, and raising awareness about the library and the work that it does.
During the read-athon, Mark Snow, who owns the Four Leaf Clover Restaurant with his wife, Linda, delivered Stinchfield a check for $450. The money was raised June 30, when the Snows volunteered to donate 10 percent of all breakfast, lunch and dinner sales to the library.
Stinchfield said she has no other fundraising events planned, but the library will continue to accept donations until the $5,000 goal is reached.