Athena Library Friends Association [ALFA]
Organization and Mission

ALFA was designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in September 2003.
ALFA membership is open to all. Everyone is welcome at ALFA board meetings, the February annual meetings, community forums, and special events.
ALFA funding comes from membership dues, heritage calendar sales, special events and fundraisers, grants, donations, and memorial gifts.
Minutes of meetings as well as copies of correspondence, news clippings, and the ALFA CONNECTION newsletter are on file at the library. Space precludes keeping all those notes here at the website; the public is invited to check out the ALFA notebooks at library.
ALFA is associated with the Libraries of Eastern Oregon through the library's membership in that organization. ALFA has also joined Friends of The Library USA, the Nonprofit Associaton of Oregon, and the Oregon Historical Society.
ALFA has focused much of its energy on the fundraising and planning for a new library facility. Other accomplishments include:

sponsorship of family and local history workshops with genealogist Connie Lenzen with the assistance of the Oregon Council for The Humanities.
initial sorting and indexing of the local history materials in the library's collections, with the addition of more donations of photos, newspapers, scrapbooks, organizational records, and other documents by the community. Some materials are indexed online.
contribution of $750 to the City of Athena's library budget to purchase more young adult materials.
participation in the community-wide hosting of Cycle Oregon in September 2006.
orientation with representatives of Union County's oral history project and start-up of our own similar endeavor.
publication of newsletter ALFA CONNECTIONS about four times a year.
building relationships and coalitions with other cultural and community organizations.

organization of several fundraisers in which community participation has been strong and which have served to make ALFA and its focus on a new library very visible.

MISSION STATEMENT

(1) To support and expand library programs, activities, and resources.
(2) To increase community support, appreciation, and usage of the library's materials and other resources.
(3) To assist the Library Board and the City of Athena to build, renovate, and/or expand the physical facility of the library.
(4) To work towards greater involvement and interactions between Athena's library and those of surrounding communities.
(5) To increase cooperative efforts with school libraries and other cultural and historical organizations in the area.

Board Members

Kathy Jensen, Janet Mandaville, Dave Richmond. [terms end Feb. 2009]
Nancy Parker, Julie Alford, Bob Fairchild. [terms end Feb. 2010]
George Vorhauer, Judy Price, Molly Betts [terms end Feb. 2011]

2007 Officers

Chairperson: Kathy Jensen;
Vice-Chair: Nancy Parker;
Secretary: George Vorhauer;
Treasurer: Dave Richmond

Committees

Internal Audit: Irene Boatright, Helen Miller
By-Laws Review: Nancy Parker, Judy Price
Membership: Karen Montee, Della Mae Alleman, Ruth Rich [Database--Kathy and Jack Jensen]
Newsletter: Judy Quaempts, Cathy Burleson
New facility--Furnishings: Dottie Pambrun, Charlene Webb
New facility--Public Art: Sally Geissel, Janet Mandaville
Nominating: Nancy Parker, Helen Miller, Julie Alford
Special Events: Julie Alford
Website: Janet Mandaville
Building Oversight: George Vorhauer, Ron Reinhart (chr), Eric Pickard, Dave Price, Nancy Parker (Judy Price and Kathy Jensen participate as non-voting members).
Grant Writing: Judy Price, Janet Mandaville, Cathy Burleson
Local History: Deborah Johns, Janet Mandaville, Judy Price, Kayla Durfee
Heritage Calendar: Sally Geissel, Janet Mandaville

External Consultants:

John Rowell and Jenny Young, Rowell Brokaw, Eugene, OR -- technical assistance architects, Oct. 2005-Feb. 2006
Lyn Craig, management and campaign plan consultant, Provisions, Fossil, OR (Oct. 2005-March 2005)
Fred C. Gast, Jr. FAIA, of Portland, OR, consulting architect (July 2006 - August 2007)
Dickey and Tremper, LLP, CPAs--financial review 2006
GN Northern Incorporated, geo-technical site study, autumn 2006
Sid Johnson Co, Baker city, OR -- general managing contractor, selected Feb. 2007
Elizabeth Giles, La Grande, stained glass artist
Annie Mae Jensen and Ben Turner, tile designers

Revised January 2008.

Athena Library Friends Association [ALFA]Organization and Mission

MISSION STATEMENT

Athena Library Friends Association [ALFA]
Organization and Mission