This weeks Saturday Snapshot is going to be about Wine and Words, the literacy event that our Friends of the Brainerd Public Library sponsor each year. This is year three and we had 320 guests at our sold out event.
As you can imagine, this was not the easiest of years for me to push through this event. I thankfully had secured our authors in February of this year and Nadia Hashimi joined us in late March (only a week before my life fell apart). The website and the ticket sales were already in place by then so the team was able to move on with the planning without me until I was able to assist again in June.
We were at a larger venue (Grand View Lodge) that allowed us to accommodate 120 more guests than last year. It has been so exciting to watch this event grow from a “do you think this will work in Brainerd?” to a “holy smokes we need a larger venue!”
We had a great team of people willing to work on the silent auction, ticket sales, handing out brochures, and this year we even worked on sponsorship’s! As you can see in the above picture, we had an excellent author line up – a good mix of genres and the authors were so well spoken – talking about their writing, their books, and their relationship to libraries. Seriously.. I was a bit giddy.
Here are a few of the many many pictures taken of our event this year:
Ahhh… what the heck, here is what the event really looked like:
We gave away gift cards and a Kindle Fire. Justin’s friends also purchased a table in his name and attended, just as he would have – and just as he had, the last two years. ♥ There are no words for what that means to me…
As far as how we did… I am finishing up the last bit of calculating today so I can give our team an accurate look at the total win for Friends of the Brainerd Public Library… and trust me on this…
it was a win. 🙂
Check out other Saturday Snapshots here and see what awesome people are taking pictures of around the world.
Book Journey 
What a fun event! Great photos, and I love the “wall” of candids. I see some of the authors I’ve enjoyed there: Lorna Landvik, Kathleen McCleary, and Erica Spindler. Thanks for sharing!
I need to pick up Kathleen’s book now – she read a part of it at the event and I was like oh yeah….:D
What a great event! I’m glad it was such a success!
Justin must have been a very amazing person for all his friends to do all they have in his memory!
Yes… he was quite the amazing guy.
Sheila, this looks like it was a WONDERFUL event and another beautiful way to honor your son, Justin. Thank you for sharing your photos.
It was a lot of fun 😉
I’m glad the event went well! It sounds fantastic. I’ve only read one of William Kent Krueger’s books but I really liked it. I love Nadia Hashimi’s books. The Pearl That Broke It’s Shell was my favorite book of 2014.
That was an awesome way for Justin’s friends to remember him. Looks like everyone had a great time for a good cause.
Nadia was so wonderful! It was such a pleasure to have her at our event!
This looks like a great event. You can bet if I lived near to you I would have been there! I think Justin is very proud of your work, even though it was so hard for you to keep going on some days.
It is definitely the book event of central Minnesota – it is so amazing how it has grown in the past three years
What a great event and some great MN authors participating!
Yes – I try to mix Minnesota authors with 2 or 3 others who have never releases from out of state.
Thanks for visiting me today, Sheila. I’ve shared this idea with my local library. They don’t really do fundraisers other than book sales, so when I show them your post they’ll be even more impressed. I am looking forward to It’s Monday coming back after Labor Day also.
Thanks Elizabeth – we used to do only book sales however by adding this event it seems to have put us on the map as not only being book lovers… but we are fun 😀
Wonderful event, Sheila. Congrats to you and your team!
Thank you Mary!
What a great time was had by all – at least that’s what those pictures say. Just fabulous and hope you can get some rest. It looks like it was great – wish it was closer – would love to attend!
Would have loved to have had you!
What a fun event! And how wonderful of Justin’s friends. I can’t imagine how bittersweet this must have been for you. The only one of the authors that I’ve read is William Kent Kueger but I absolutely love his books. Great job!
If you ever get a chance to meet Kent take it – he is amazing and so nice!
It’s a testament to your good organization that this event was able to go on even when you weren’t able to participate for a long time. Looks like a great venue! So cool that Justin’s friends took part!
Thanks Joy!
Looks like this year’s event was another big success! Looks like so much fun! And wonderful that Justin’s friends came in his place.
Sue
Book By Book
Thanks Sue.
Such a wonderful worthy event, but I know that each of these occasions taxes you emotionally. I’m sure that Justin would be so proud of you even as everything reminds you that he is not there too.
Thinking of you as always Shelia xo
Staying busy helps but sometimes I am too busy and I can feel the grief just below the surface. Its good to be able to breath for a while now – staying at home is what I need for a bit.
What a fantastic event and what a great author turnout. So neat of Justin’s friends to pick up his place.
It really was – they say it will be an every year thing… I sure hope so! They are AMAZING friends
Wow, what a great group of authors! I know Justin was there with you.
Thanks Kathy!
What an awesome event! I met Lorna Landvik at a small book event in Cleveland back in 1998. She is hilarious! I also enjoyed meeting William Kent Krueger at a signing at our store a year or so ago. He is a delightful man and a great storyteller. Wish I lived closer so I could attend your event next year!
Would love to have you there 🙂 For our size area – we are doing really well!
What a fantastic group of people to organize such a great event. I’m in awe.
Thanks Leslie – it has been really fun planning this and watching it grow the last three years 🙂
Looks like such a wonderful event. Our “friends” group doesn’t do anything fun like this! :–)
Wow, Sheila! Fantastic event! Looks like it was well attended and all your hard work paid off.