AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
Visiting the annual AAUW Anne Arundel County Booksale for the first time last Friday afternoon, Skylar and Mackenzie Mathias (pictured above) went off to visit the children’s section on their own. Their mother Megan Mathias, having noticed how reasonably books were priced, encouraged them to select several each. Thus, Skylar returned carrying a stack of books while Mackenzie had a rainbow-colored satchel full of them.
Megan Mathias had been chatting with fellow mystery aficionado Briana Coley while combing through an immense section of titles by her favorite authors.
Both women were new to the AAUW (American Association of University Women) Booksale. Coley had discovered it while grabbing a bite at a restaurant next door. Mathias discovered it because her mother had a flyer for the sale on her refrigerator door. The two were delighted with the wide selection of books they’d found.
It was mid-afternoon on November 1, the second day of the sale being held for the second year in a storefront at Chesterfield Square in Glen Burnie. The first day had been quite busy with an early morning presale for book dealers and heavy traffic throughout the day according to several AAUW volunteers. However, the second day had seen more of a steady flow.
As always, the books were arranged in sections that filled built in shelves and tables that stretched across the main room as well as the children’s section in a back room. Each section was clearly labeled for convenience. It seemed, there was no end to fascinating subjects and fascinating books. TheCrafts/How To section, for instance, instructed readers how to “Collect Teddy Bears and Dolls”, how to do “Home Repair & Improvement” or “Decorate Gift Baskets, Boxes and Bags”. There was even one large Reader’s Digest compilation called “How to do Just About Anything”.
We caught up with longtime AAUW member and volunteer Alice Harrison who told us that the organization has held at least 40 book sales. The annual events are held each November. Having begun in Severna Park, they have since been held in different locations including Festival at Pasadena and Chesterfield Square in Glen Burnie. They continue to draw booklovers from the greater Severna Park and Pasadena areas and have added more return customers since holding the sale in Glen Burnie.
“I’ve personally attended or volunteered at 30 of the sales. It amazes me that we are still doing them, but the book sale is a valuable resource for the community,” Harrison said.
She explained that AAUW schedules five book collections at various locations where area residents can donate books each summer. They receive about 30,000 books to sell. Proceeds from the sale go to scholarships for Anne Arundel County women. (The sale only lasts four days, so there are always books left over which are sold to a company in Frederick called Wonder Books adding to the total amount of money raised.)
Harrison added that the AAUW Book Sale has some wonderful volunteers. We came across two – Bree Foreman and her grandmother Nancy Stow who were sorting and rearranging books in the Science section. This year was Bree’s third as a volunteer. It was obvious that the pair was having a ball working together.
It was especially interesting chatting with Stow, who joined AAUW six years ago. We wondered why the public libraries seem to have a more limited selection of books these days, making the Booksale all the more valuable as it enables readers to find titles by legendary authors that are no longer available through the library system.
“I can’t tell you when the last time was that I visited a library” she said. “I get a lot of books from this book sale and a few other sources.”
She speculated, however, that the fact that some people use electronic sources to read books may have something to do with fewer books being printed or stocked.
While continuing to shop for books, we noted a stack of them someone left on the checkout counter while going to get a bag to carry them in. The shopper was evidently a “who-done-it” fan and the collection of books was from a wide variety of the most esteemed mystery writers. There was a boxed set of four books from champion jockey and legendary author Dick Francis, there was a book by English crime writer P. D. James who created the character Adam Dalgleish, plus books by mystery writers John Sanford, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci and Robert B. Parker.
According the AAUW president Joyce Moyeer, who was sitting in at the checkout counter along with Alice Harrison, the total for the entire stack of books was a mere $11 plus tax.
As can be seen from the price list, $1 each for paperbacks and $2 for hardbacks is an amazing value.
As happens every year, area book lovers will treasure the paperbacks, hardbacks or books on tape they purchased this year and look for word of next year’s book collections and annual AAUW Booksale. Keep up to date by visiting AAUW Anne Arundel County at Facebook,
Craft Fair this Saturday at Pasadena United Methodist Church
A Craft Fair is being held this Saturday, November 9 at Pasadena United Methodist Church at 61 Ritchie Highway in Pasadena. The Craft Fair is serving breakfast from 8:30 to 10:30 am with the fair beginning at 9:30. Beautiful crafts, a bake table and homemade soup will be available. For information, visit Facebook.
BikeAAA presents Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails with check for $5,000
The Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails once again volunteered for the Lifeline 100 Century Ride on the occasion of the historic event’s 10th Anniversary. Funds raised from the event are distributed to Anne Arundel County non-profits. The Friends organization was grateful to be presented a check for $5,000 from BikeAAA president Jon Korin.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
