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SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Library friends host fundraising event

By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
   More than 200 people came to the Barnes & Noble bookstore on Route 1 in North Brunswick Sunday afternoon to help raise money for the Friends of the South Brunswick Library, according to organizers.
   Susan Edelman, founder and president of the Friends organization, said, “(Barnes & Noble) is supporting us and we’re supporting them.”
   The goal of the event was to raise $1,000, through vouchers at the store, Ms. Edelman said.
   The vouchers were available for patrons to give to the cashiers when they made purchases so that part of the money spent would go to the Friends organization.
   ”(It’s a good day) to buy everything you need,” Ms. Edelman said at the event.
   The store will also donate a percentage of sales to the organization through online purchases this week, according to library Director Chris Carbone.
   The event opened with a performance by the 35-member chamber choir from Brooks Crossing School, said Jeff Auriemma, a music teacher at the Monmouth Junction school who also conducted the choir at the event.
   Mr. Auriemma said, “I’m always thrilled when they perform because they always put 100 percent in (the performance).”
   Instead of performing the same show they performed earlier as part of the South Brunswick Reads program, the puppet versions of the characters from the Wizard of Oz show were interviewed by Young Adult Librarian Saleena Davidson.
   Barnes & Noble community relations manager Miriam Libove set up a special Wizard of Oz display featuring various things connected to the classic novel before the event.
   Ms. Libove said Monday, “We were very happy to host the Friends of the Library, (and) will be very happy to host them again.”
   Anthony Toma, 14, a freshman at the high school and Friends board member since sixth grade, said he volunteered at the event by welcoming people coming in and seeing what was needed.
   ”I just like helping out,” Anthony said.
   Ms. Davidson said some of the teens volunteered at the event by helping with the craft activity, the face painting, and by performing in the puppet show.
   Board of Education candidate Deven Patel attended the event with his children. Mr. Patel said the event was “wonderful” and “well-organized.”
   Brooks Crossing fourth Grader Victoria Chang, 9, said she was part of the chamber choir and that her favorite part of the event was the face painting.
   ”It feels nice when it brushes your face,” Victoria said.
   Mr. Carbone said the organization supports great many programs at the library.
   Mr. Carbone said, “(The) Friends consistently support the majority of the programming for all ages.”
   The South Brunswick Reads Program is sponsored by the South Brunswick Library, the South Brunswick schools, and the Aging in Place Partnership, and was started in January and will end at the conclusion of the school year, Ms. Chan said.
   The program entails everyone in the community reading the Wizard of Oz book, Ms. Chan said.