Oct. 11, 2016

Dinner in the Stacks

Dinner on the second floor of Burton Barr Central Library

About 540 guests attended the 2016 Dinner in the Stacks on Sept. 24 at Burton Barr Central Library in downtown Phoenix. The fundraising dinner benefits Friends of the Phoenix Public Library and the Phoenix Public Library Foundation.

Attendees enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction in the fifth floor Great Reading Room followed by a plated dinner on the second floor. Dessert was served in the Pulliam Auditorium on the first floor. Fabulous Food catered the affair.

The evening honored the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Carol Peden Schilling, trustee chair and Nina Mason Pulliam’s niece and longtime companion, accepted the award, which was printed on the 3D printer in the MACH1 Maker Space at the library. It is a rendition of Burton Barr Central Library topped with a book.

Honorable Terry and Monica Goddard, Honorable Phil Gordon, Carolyn and Win Holden, Honorable Paul and Patty Johnson, Honorable Ed and Verma Pastor, Honorable Skip and Kim Rimsza, Honorable Tom Simplot and Scot Wade, and Honorable Grant and Marlene Woods served as honorary chairs.

Guests received commemorative tote bags hand-printed on the century-old Washington Press in the library’s Rare Book Room. Phoenix Public Library staff member Tom O’Connell, a gifted artist, provided the original design.

Funds raised from the evening will support three programs:

• Kindergarten Boot Camp, a seven-week program for 4 to 5 year-olds and their parents designed to get both kids and parents ready for school

• College Depot, a full-service college access center at the Burton Barr Central Library and

• STEAM Programming, – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math programming for tweens and teens across the system of 17 libraries, many of which are hubs of after-school activity for local youth.

PHOTOS COURTESY PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION