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Women's suffrage anniversary highlights library 'Friends' luncheon

WORLAND — The Friends of the Worland Library are celebrating 150 years of women’s suffrage in Wyoming this year with their annual luncheon this Saturday.

As Wyoming nears Dec. 10 – the sesquicentennial anniversary of women’s suffrage in the Equality State – the Governor’s Council for the Wyoming Women’s Suffrage Celebration is encouraging organizations and communities to participate in state-wide celebrations thru Sept. 6, 2020.

Laura McDonald of the Friends of the Worland Library said that while the luncheon was not a result of the specific call by the Governor’s Council, they did want to celebrate Wyoming women’s suffrage this year at the annual fundraiser.

The keynote address, by Christy Cormier Vickers, teacher at Worland High School, will speak on the history of women’s suffrage in Wyoming and nationally.

THE LUNCHEON

The fall luncheon is the major fundraiser for the Friends. In addition to the luncheon and keynote address, there will be door prizes and a silent auction. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Worland.

McDonald said they have about eight to 10 active members at the present time. The Friends support a lot of library activities, summer reading, soup and a movie in the winter, petty cash fund for library staff, every March they sponsor Dr. Suess’ birthday with “Read Across America” where every kid leaves the library with a book, they sponsor a gingerbread house contest in December, and they are stewards for new Little Free Libraries at Hillcrest Park and Pioneer Square.

The Little Free Libraries have been “very popular” McDonald said, which is demonostrated by the turnover of books at each Little Free Library.

There is a limit of 80 tickets and they are available for purchase at the Washakie County Library in Worland. If all tickets have not been sold, they will be available at the door on Saturday.

“It should be fun. We’ve been doing this luncheon seven to eight years, and we try to have fun food and good speakers,” McDonald said.