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St. Olaf faculty and staff team up for library fundraiser

By Amy Gage
September 28, 2006

Northfield Friends of the Public Library is co-hosting a fundraising event tonight (Thursday, Sept. 28)--a spelling bee for Booker the Book Bus that is being co-sponsored by the Northfield Downtown Development Corp. and the Grand Event Center.

St. Olaf College is donating both money and a three-person team to the event, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Grand, Fourth and Washington streets in downtown Northfield.

Associate Dean of Students Rosalyn Eaton-Neeb '86, Professor of Religion Maggie Odell and Professor of Mathematics Paul Zorn will take on teams from Carleton College, the NDDC and throughout Northfield for the event.

Up to five rounds of regular competition (one word per team) will be held before teams start to be eliminated. Northfield resident and Minnesota Public Radio classical music producer Melissa Ousley will be the host and "word pronouncer" for the event.

"Since 1999, Booker the Book Bus has been spreading a love of reading among children in Northfield," said a Northfield Public Library press release for the event, "traveling to day-care centers, preschools, apartment buildings and rural towns. For some children, Booker is their only exposure to the library."

The spelling bee will raise money for a new Booker bus. Admission is only $5 and includes a cash bar and free food. For more information, contact Mary Lahr Schier at 507-664-0726 or Debby Nitz at 507-645-6606.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.