For all of 2019 this non-profit group, also known as the Elkins Bookhounds, donated a little over $10,500 to the Elkins Randolph County Public Library, of which membership dues accounted for $1,395. The remainder of the monies raised came from the various fundraising activities throughout the year: used book sales, Tucker Community Foundation’s Run-for-It event, Chocolate Friendzy, and miscellaneous donations.

In addition, the Bookhounds were instrumental in writing a grant application for which the library recently received $2,000 from the Snowshoe Foundation.

Besides new book purchases in all categories, the funds raised by the Bookhounds have been used to support various program activities: March Madness, Summer Reading Program, Story Hour, Buckets of Books, and Crunch Time Program.

The funds also purchased new furniture for the community meeting room, a one-year subscription to Ancestry.com for researching family trees, three new computers, and miscellaneous items not in the library’s operating budget.

Virginia Cassells displays her Gold Medal for her top-tier finish in her age group at the Run-for-It in Davis. Her win added $100 to the Bookhounds prize money.

Funds from the Snowshoe grant are being used to support the Kinship Care program, a support group for grandparents raising grandchildren. “This is the most underserved population in the West Virginia opioid crisis, and we want to help,” said Library Director Stephanie Murphy. “Session 1 began last week. Referrals are being accepted at the library as an ongoing service.”

Murphy added, “I’m so grateful to the Bookhounds for their wonderful support this past year. I can always count on them for volunteers and fundraising The Bookhounds support is absolutely critical to expand the library’s materials, programs, and services. We couldn’t do it without you!”

The Bookhounds also are grateful to award donors and corporate and individual sponsors who helped make the Run-for-It fundraiser a success for the group: The Tucker Community Foundation, McDonough Foundation, Randolph County Commission, Freedom Bank, Cassells Real Estate Appraisal, Addiction and Trauma Recovery LLC, Randolph County Eye Care, many magical anonymous individual sponsors, and team members who walked or ran the hilly course on race day.

The next fundraising activity for the Bookhounds is the Chocolate Friendzy to be held at the Library on Feb. 11 from 4 – 7 p.m. All members get a free raffle ticket and are invited to enjoy samplings of decadent chocolate desserts, fruit punch, and live music. New members may join that evening. Members and non-members may purchase raffle tickets and any of the various desserts available for sale. Raffle tickets will only be sold that night, with a drawing at 7 p.m. You need not be present to win.