Library Friends Invited to 'Hop' On Fundraising Bandwagon

It might be just one small sock hop now, but the dream is one impressive footprint later.

Friday marks the third annual Benefit Sock Hop, raising money for the Friends of the Bella Vista Public Library organization and its myriad good works.

"The biggest part of our library is run by volunteers," said Roxie Wright, the library director and its only full-time employee. "They man the front desk, run our Encore book store and put together so many of our activities."

"We're still finding our way this year," added Marilyn Frisby, president of the Friends. In the past, she explained, the library was completely funded as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Now that it is an entity of the city of Bella Vista, "we're focused on the extras, children's programming, special events, anything the city isn't going to cover."

Biggest among those needs is expansion, Wright said, and that, said Frisby, is where the Friends will focus their efforts now, too.

Friday evening's Sock Hop, set for 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Riordan Hall, will feature root beer floats, popcorn, a cash bar and music from the 1950s and '60s provided by Rockin' Roads Band with Gary Nelson, Kevin Walsh and Phil Kilmer. It's the first of a slate of fall events to support the library's growth.

"We've kept it fairly quiet," Susan Santos, president of Bella Vista Public Library Foundation, said of the fundraising campaign. "But that's going to change. Oct. 11, bring your cameras and come to the library!"

The kickoff event, planned for 10 a.m. to noon that day, will include music, food, speeches, "and all kinds of activities going on" that will give patrons an overview of what happens at the library and why more room is needed, she said.

"We are extremely busy for such a little place!"

Santos explained that the foundation has been in existence since the library was born in 1996 and was always intended to support its infrastructure and future growth.

"We're way beyond the point we needed to expand," she said, so in 2010, the Board of Trustees of the library sought a vision, an architect and a plan.

"We formed a task force of business leaders, patrons, people from the library and put together a wish list," she remembered. "Then we took that list and held open meetings with the public, volunteers and staff and refined the list -- because when you're just dreaming, you want everything!."

Marlon Blackwell was selected as the architect for the project, "and he has come up with a plan that is just outstanding," Santos said. "It's going to be jaw-dropping, gorgeous. We have the Mildred Cooper Chapel, the Wall of Honor -- so you can't build just schlock in Bella Vista. We need something that's going to raise the bar just a little bit."

Since the city took over operation of the library in January, "I don't have to raise money to keep the lights on," Santos added. "However, the city does not own the library and the grounds; the foundation owns those. So the city can't add on to it. We have to do that."

The fundraising goal is $4 million, which includes renovation of the existing space, and the foundation has collected about $1.6 million, Santos said. "And we are just now beginning to seriously reach out to some foundations."

It's an exciting time to be the new director of the library, said Wright, who started her job June 2.

"Right now, we're a little library tucked back in the woods -- a cozy little library but a noisy little library," she said, chuckling. "We're really noisy because we have tons of activities. Bella Vista is a community full of people who want to get involved and volunteer."

In addition to Sock Hoppers, the Friends of the Library members are looking for walkers for a 5K planned for Sept. 20 during Hay Days.

Walkers are asked to stop by the library or the Hay Days website for a pledge form and get friends to sponsor their walks.

"We've been stretched a little thin, and I'm not sure how this year will go," Frisby said of the new fundraiser. "But I think in the future it will be a big event for us.

"And we really hope someone will come to the Sock Hop who knows how to do the stroll!"