Award Winning Volunteers!
In 2011, more than 290 volunteers contributed a total of 18,937 hours, the equivalent of more than nine full-time employees. That includes 4,250 hours of assistance from 174 teen volunteers.
In all, volunteers contributed $412,643 of labor. This makes a huge impact on the quality of service the Library is able to provide!
Adult volunteers and special guests enjoyed lunch courtesy of the Friends of the Wichita Public Library at a special luncheon in April 2012 with special recognition given to Steve and Ann Starch, winners of the Friends of Kansas Libraries' Volunteers of the Year award. Both the Wichita Genealogical Society and Wichita Public Library Foundation were also commended for celebrating recent 25 year anniversaries. The Friends' own Melzer Award is given annually to the volunteer with the most hours contributed. In 2011, Steve Cloud, a sorter in the Friends Used Bookstore, earned the prestigious award.
FoKL Volunteers of the Year Steve Starch and Ann Starch, Friends President Gail Fisher and Melzer Award Winner Steve Cloud
Previous Melzer Award Winners
| 1998 |
Barbara Melzer |
Friends Used Bookstore |
| 1999 |
JoAnn Janzen |
Friends Used Bookstore |
| 2000 |
Charley Whitworth |
Friends Used Bookstore/Local History |
| 2001 |
Pat Hathaway |
Westlink Branch Library |
| 2002 |
Donna Best |
Circulation |
| 2003 |
Delores Baker |
Genealogy |
| 2004 |
Beverly McAllister |
Interlibrary Loan |
| 2005 |
Margaret Miller |
General Reference |
| 2006 |
Raymond Stebleton, Jr. |
Rockwell Branch Library |
| 2007 |
Tom Ruth |
Friends Used Bookstore |
| 2008 |
Ralph Martin |
Rockwell Branch Library |
| 2009 |
Fred Rondholz |
Friends Used Bookstore |
| 2010 |
Willa Mae Heisler
Beth Huffmeier |
Genealogy
Technical Services/Alford Branch Library |
| 2011 |
Steve Cloud |
Friends Used Bookstore |
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