Preparations under way for massive book sale in Waipawa

Shoppers browse through the books at last year's Takapau Lions Bookarama. Photo / Supplied

Bookworms are wriggling in anticipation ahead of Central Hawke’s Bay’s literary event of the year - the Takapau Lions Bookarama.

Almost 800 banana boxes full of books are being prepared for sale at the CHB Municipal Theatre in Waipawa, from April 21-23.

It’s an annual event that raised $23,000 for various community projects last year.

Takapau Lions Club member Thomas Taylor said there was a team of eagle-eyed sorters going through the hundreds of boxes of books, sorting them into categories and identifying the more valuable books.

Most books would be selling for between $1 and $3 but there was a section for those books that are collector’s items.

“The people who do the sorting are book lovers , they know what is an exceptional book.”

He said donations of books are steadily flowing in and the numbers were looking good.

“A lot of people will buy books [at the Bookarama], re-donate them and buy more.”

He said they got a bit out of sync during Covid, with the timing of the sale later in the year but they were back to the normal time of the year now.

The recipients of last year’s proceeds went to; Cancer Society $2500, St John $2500, Waipukurau Community Patrol $300, Going Bananas Show $150, Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter $7000, Camp Quality $1000, Connect Driver Safety and Licensing $1000, Central Hawke’s Bay Libraries $4000, Paul Hunter Centre for an all-terrain wheelchair $1000, Local Food Bank and Food Basket $2000, and the Takapau Christmas Lights House $1000.

The drop points for books are 100% Winloves in Waipukurau and Tim Chote Appliances in Waipawa.