The Friends of the Library have collected the best recipes from group members, family, and friends and compiled them into an attractive keepsake cookbook. They will begin selling their one-of-a-kind cookbooks immediately, and they will also be available for sale at the annual book sale, which begins August 23rd.

Cookbooks are $12 each and may be purchased at the library or Peachtree Gallery. All proceeds will go to the library’s building fund. The cookbook contains over 175 well-loved recipes including appetizers, main dishes, desserts and many others. Recipes include the contributor’s name, enabling you to find the recipes of family and friends. For more information call the library at 903-364-2955.

Vendors and community groups for the event include:

 A Touch Above the Rest (massage)
Arbonne International
Curves
Cub Scouts
Dr. Marchal Fulmer (cranial adjustments)
Friends of the Library
Grayson County Crisis Center
Home Interiors
* Homemade Gourmet
Mary Kay
Needlework Guild
* Pampered Chef
Premier Designs Jewelry
* Southern Living at Home

Texoma Regional Blood Center will also have a their mobile unit in front of the Civic Center for a blood drive.

* These are direct links to the local representatives where you can order online if you prefer. If the site asks for an organization name, please put in "Whitewright Friends of the Library" and we'll receive a percentage of the sale.

"No Fooling, Shop With Your Friends" will be held Saturday, April 1st in the Whitewright Municipal Auditorium (same building as the library). This fun spring event is sponsored by Whitewright Friends of the Library to raise funds for the new library building. Admission is FREE. Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 2:00 p.m.

All Grayson Co. citizens are invited to attend a town hall meeting February 9th at 7 p.m. at the Whitewright Municipal Building to hear from the candidates running for Grayson County Judge in the March 7th primary election. All persons of any political persuasion are urged to attend. No one is running in opposition in the general election; whoever wins the primary will become the county judge for the next four years. Don’t miss your chance to learn about the candidates and their ideas.
 
Incumbent Tim McGraw and opponent Drue Bynum have been invited. Each will be given five minutes to introduce himself. After introductions, several Whitewright high school students will take a half hour to ask questions.  Mark Kline, government teacher at Whitewright High School, has been asked to be the moderator. This will be followed with ample time for questions from the audience.
 
Light refreshments will be served after the program, and the participants will be there for you to speak with.
 
This important event is sponsored as a community service by Whitewright Friends of the Library. 

Hurricane Katrina took nearly everything from Waveland, Miss., a small, historic community on the Gulf Coast, including its public library.

"One of many tragic losses in Waveland was the community's public library," said Dawn Kitchell, coordinator of The Missourian's (a newspaper that's helping to publicize efforts to rebuild libraries destroyed by Katrina) educational programs. "Renovated and expanded just a few years ago, it was an important part of the community."

Inspired by the story of "Stone Soup" volunteers are taking donations to rebuild the library. The volunteers are asking for new or gently used hardcovers to implement the project.

Whitewright's Friends of the Library group has already selected some books to send to their fellow library in need, and the public may make donations at the library (must be received by February 10th) or by mailing books directly to:

Mission Statement: Our mission is to foster awareness of the library and support its services.

Purpose Statement: To build an organization of persons interested and active in the library, to focus positive community attention on library needs and services, to promote use of the library, and to develop supplemental funding for the library.

The Annual Book Sale (August 25 - 27, 2005) will also double as a membership drive for the new Friends group. In the future, Friends will be in charge of the book sale -- and will have the option of having more than one sale per year, or even a "continuous" sale as new items are donated to the library.

But Friends do more than raise funds. Their purpose is:

• To foster closer relations between the library and the community.
• To support and cooperate with the library in developing library services.
• To heighten public awareness of the the library.
• To strengthen the promotion of library services and resources.
• To enable the library to enhance services, expand programs and add new dimensions that maximize the library's role and usefulness in the community.
• To assist in the identification of community needs.

Friends of the Library does for the library what homeroom parents do for schools and booster clubs do for sports teams. Whether you are a business owner interested in the growth of Whitewright, a parent of children who needs and uses the library, a library patron who reads for entertainment or educational purposes, or any combination thereof, you are invited to join.

As a Friends of the Library member, you will be helping to decide what direction the Whitewright Public Library will be taking in the future. The Whitewright Public Library needs you!

You can join our Friends e-mail group (open to members and non-members) to keep up-to-date on Friends activities. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wpl-friends/ or email wpl-friends-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to join.