Lions prepare for monster book sale in Dannevirke

Dannevirke Host Lions Club members take a break from sorting books for the annual book sale. Photo / Sue Emeny

Under the stage of the Dannevirke Town Hall lies a book lover's dream.

Stored there are thousands of books being sorted for the annual Dannevirke Host Lions Club book sale.

For the 12 Lions who meet every week to sort the books it's a mammoth task, and one they have been working on for many weeks.

Ferguson says with the sale drawing closer and with boxes of books still to be sorted the band of willing helpers are now meeting on Mondays and Thursdays.

Last week their hard work was rewarded when local businessman Craig Boyden organised for Kate Gunson to take her coffee cart to the book sorters and shouted them all morning tea in recognition of their dedication.

"Craig knows we are there every week preparing for the book sale and wanted to recognise what we do," said Ferguson.

The books are sorted in non-fiction and fiction categories and the fiction books are then sorted into authors and put in alphabetical order.

Once sorted the books are placed into banana boxes and stacked ready to be moved into the Town Hall.

Just prior to the sale the Dannevirke High School football team lends a hand by carrying the boxes into the hall and placing them on the 80 trestle tables that have been set up.
The first delivery of books happened at Queen's Birthday weekend when a truckload of 470 boxes of books arrived from Palmerston North.

Since then hundreds more books have been pouring in from local donations.
Among them are books in mint condition, some that look as though they haven't been opened. These books are priced at $2 each while the rest are sold for $1 each.
There are also a number what Ferguson terms coffee table books. One such book is a beautiful edition of The Times Atlas of the World.

Ferguson is surprised at the number of books that are being donated for the sale.
"I don't think we have ever had as many books as we have this year, but then again I say that every year."

Despite its name the book sale isn't just made up of books. There are plenty of puzzles and magazines for sale. The magazines are all glossies and are all 2018 and 2019 editions.

Ferguson says it's the 30th sale to be held. "We are calling it a pearler of a sale as the pearl symbolises 30 years in anniversary terms."

Last year's sale raised around $15,000 with the money going toward local organisations as well as the rescue helicopter, St John Ambulance and the Health Shuttle.
The Lions book sale begins on Wednesday July 24 and and runs from 9am till 5pm daily and finishes on Sunday July 28 at 3pm.