It was another workday for me. It started out with my going to the Thrifter’s Rock, a local thrift store, where I unloaded and sorted two shopping carts full of books into boxes, the broad-based categories were paperback fiction, hardback fiction, nonfiction, children, and discard. The discard were mainly religious books.

The sun was shining. At one point I pulled forth a joke book and read a joke to the fellow who was sorting through the drop-off materials. I wish I could remember the joke, but it’s done. It had something to do with tuning a fish.

I worked quickly and efficiently, putting books into the above listed boxes. It is way easier to do this when it’s not snowy and cold.

I hurried back to the hotel and resumed preparing for today’s volunteer appreciation event. Susan, our workhorse volunteer, soon joined me. For the next two hours, I kept coming up with things for her to do. Then, finally, she began cleaning books. I did the same, and by the time the volunteers began rolling in, there were no more boxes in my car.

Let’s see – Terry, and Bea, BLBP board members, arrived around 1 p.m. Then a Morman elder couple arrived with a new volunteer in tow. This is their second placement, and they raved about what a good program we have. My Anchorage friend Cheryl Chapman arrived as I was giving the Mormons the tour.

Pete and Alex showed up at 3:30 p.m. and Bill shortly thereafter. Next, our artist in residence, Cathy Stone, appeared and began cutting out images from a beyond repair Dr. Suess’s Yertle the Turtle.

As we were eating pizza provided by Erik Christenson of State Farm Insurance, Hilary came in the door. I handed her a copy of a ventriloquism book, which made her day, repeatedly.

Oh yes, at some point Dr. Natalie, who has done volunteer work in the past, walked in. She is using a cane. She had hip surgery, and it appears as though something is amiss because she is in pain.

Lastly, as the afternoon was getting on, Brad of Alaska English Adventures came galumphing in – he is big and loud. I was, at that point, showing him the cover of the Make a Scene periodical. It read Bright Lights Book Project: Books arrive in Kenya. You see, he was the one who took the books there.

He's now fundraising (who isn’t?) to raise money to go back to Kenya. He’d just been there a few months ago – and wants to go back. If he does, he will take another suitcase of our books.

Kenyan students were supposed to come to Alaska, but our poor relations with other countries makes future visits seem unlikely.

It was a good afternoon, spent in the company of people that I care about and care about the BLBP. My knowing all these people quite well made it hard for me to do the social butterfly thing. I am not at all one for small talk, and so I always, in such situations, do feel somewhat insecure.

Got a ride in this evening, me on Hrimmi and Pete on Tyra. Ground way too soft – I may have to forego trail riding for a while.

April 25, 2026: Volunteer Appreciation Day

It was another workday for me. It started out with my going to the Thrifter’s Rock, a local thrift store, where I unloaded and sorted two shopping carts full of books into boxes, the broad-based categories were paperback fiction, hardback fiction, nonfiction, children, and discard. The discard were mainly religious books.

The sun was shining. At one point I pulled forth a joke book and read a joke to the fellow who was sorting through the drop-off materials. I wish I could remember the joke, but it’s done. It had something to do with tuning a fish.

I worked quickly and efficiently, putting books into the above listed boxes. It is way easier to do this when it’s not snowy and cold.

I hurried back to the hotel and resumed preparing for today’s volunteer appreciation event. Susan, our workhorse volunteer, soon joined me. For the next two hours, I kept coming up with things for her to do. Then, finally, she began cleaning books. I did the same, and by the time the volunteers began rolling in, there were no more boxes in my car.

Let’s see – Terry, and Bea, BLBP board members, arrived around 1 p.m. Then a Morman elder couple arrived with a new volunteer in tow. This is their second placement, and they raved about what a good program we have. My Anchorage friend Cheryl Chapman arrived as I was giving the Mormons the tour.

Pete and Alex showed up at 3:30 p.m. and Bill shortly thereafter. Next, our artist in residence, Cathy Stone, appeared and began cutting out images from a beyond repair Dr. Suess’s Yertle the Turtle.

As we were eating pizza provided by Erik Christenson of State Farm Insurance, Hilary came in the door. I handed her a copy of a ventriloquism book, which made her day, repeatedly.

Oh yes, at some point Dr. Natalie, who has done volunteer work in the past, walked in. She is using a cane. She had hip surgery, and it appears as though something is amiss because she is in pain.

Lastly, as the afternoon was getting on, Brad of Alaska English Adventures came galumphing in – he is big and loud. I was, at that point, showing him the cover of the Make a Scene periodical. It read Bright Lights Book Project: Books arrive in Kenya. You see, he was the one who took the books there.

He's now fundraising (who isn’t?) to raise money to go back to Kenya. He’d just been there a few months ago – and wants to go back. If he does, he will take another suitcase of our books.

Kenyan students were supposed to come to Alaska, but our poor relations with other countries makes future visits seem unlikely.

It was a good afternoon, spent in the company of people that I care about and care about the BLBP. My knowing all these people quite well made it hard for me to do the social butterfly thing. I am not at all one for small talk, and so I always, in such situations, do feel somewhat insecure.

Got a ride in this evening, me on Hrimmi and Pete on Tyra. Ground way too soft – I may have to forego trail riding for a while.

Next: 115. 4/26/25: April Dwindles