Te Awamutu Rotary Book Fair sets fundraising record

After the initial rush it was a busy, but relaxed, atmosphere at the opening day of the Te Awamutu Rotary Book Fair. Photo / Dean Taylor

After three years of cancellations and disruptions because of Covid, the Te Awamutu Rotary Book Fair returned with a vengeance for 2023 and set a fundraising record.

A steady number of buyers handed over their cash for donated books, DVDs, CDs and vinyl at May’s four-day sale.

Each day was busy and many buyers returned for more bargains. As in previous years, Sunday was popular with the $10-a-box sale to close the fair.

Rotarians were very busy for six weeks before the fair, collecting, sorting and displaying the books and most of the Te Awamutu Club had participated by the time clean up was completed on Sunday.

Non-Rotarian members of the community, including Alan Webb, Barbara Lee, Barbara Lim and Ken Sheldrick, volunteered and helped sort and display the books, and helped over the entire weekend.

After the wrap up it was evident the average of $10,000 raised per fair had been well exceeded - in fact, the more than $18,000 profit is a record.

The funds will be distributed to Rotary programmes and organisations the club supports over the next 12 months.

Te Awamutu Rotary Book Fair organiser Laurel Smith with past president Peter Robertson.

During the fair, members of the Te Awamutu Branch of Riding for the Disabled displayed their organisation and what it provides to this community, which proved to be a popular information exercise.

Te Awamutu Rotary adopted the branch as a major beneficiary of the fair and provided $2000 to sponsor 12 riding helmets, which are required for their very active horse-riding sessions.

The club thanks the generous support of the community for donating books and other saleable items and for then supporting the four-day sale.

It also thanks the owner of the Interlact building for generously making it available for the book fair.