Conversation and Cocktails Inaugural Event a Success

The first Conversation & Cocktails event proved to be a success both financially and socially. Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, keynote speaker, delivered an enthusiastic and informative talk on the importance of early literacy and the role of libraries in a healthy community.

 

Tripp Widder, President of the Madison Public Library Foundation, gave a heartwarming talk about the growth of the Foundation under the direction of Judy P. Olson. Judy was honored for her 15 years of dedicated service. In Judy's honor, the Judy P. Olson Book Discussion Kit Endowment fund has been established at the Madison Community Foundation.

 

Katherine Naherny chaired the event. Other committee members were Rick Chandler, Susan Titus, Emily Campbell, Ann Sensenbrenner, Janice Zmrazek, Meghan Meeker, and Orange Schroeder. Additional participants were Andrew Seaborg, emcee, and Nancy Becknell, pianist.

 

Corporate underwriters for this event include: The Capital Group, The Douglas Stewart Company, M&I Bank, Mohs MacDonald, Widder & Paradise, Engberg Aderson Design Partnership, MGE Foundation, Amcore Bank, AM Mailing Services LLC, Gordon Flesch Company, and Wegner LLP. See a full listing of event sponsors.

 

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Madison Public Library South Madison Branch, a 12,000 square foot facility that will be constructed as an integral part of the redeveloped Villager Mall on South Park Street.

 

Interested in Early Literacy?

 

These web sites have more information on early literacy in the United States and in Madison.

 

Reach Out and Read

 

www.ReachOutandRead.org

 

Jumpstart - Madison

 

www.sohe.wisc.edu/new/jumpstart/

 

Play Literacy at the Library

 

www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/youth/playliteracy.html