The Annual General Meeting of the Windsor Public Library Board is scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at 4 pm at Central Library in the Ouellette Lobby. The featured speaker will be Marty Gervais, City of Windsor’s first poet laureate. The AGM will also feature the inaugural Howard Pawley Volunteer Awards and recognition of long service volunteers.

Mr. Gervais will talk about the literary culture in the city, how it has developed over the years and what it is like today.

Marty Gervais was the City of Windsor’s first poet laureate and was recently appointed to the honorary role of Poet Laureate Emeritus. An award winning poet, journalist, photographer, playwright, historian, editor, and teacher, Mr. Gervais used his poet laureate appointment to create and read poetry in public places. His laureateship promoted poetry to a wide and appreciative audience, while allowing poets to strengthen the public’s relationship to literature and to contribute to the cultural life of the city.

As a part of the 2015-2018 Windsor Public Library Board Legacy, the board established a Volunteer Recognition Program. The late Manitoba Premier and Board Member Howard Pawley regularly talked to the Board about gratitude and the impact volunteers make on the community. In a unanimous vote, the Howard Pawley Volunteer Awards were created. The inaugural awards will be presented by Mrs. Adele Pawley and longtime friend of Mr. Pawley, Board Member Jim Stuart.

In addition to volunteer Board members, WPL benefitted from the work and industry of 267 volunteers in 2018:  they participated in programs such as Book Buddies, Adult Literacy, Accessibility Services and numerous children’s programs and activities.  Inaugural recipients of Howard Pawley Awards include former Board Chair Dr. Peter Frise, former Board member Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac and Sandwich Branch volunteers Brian Stokes and Jatin Kulal for their work with the children’s programs at Sandwich Branch.

“Windsor Public Library would like to acknowledge all the volunteers who strengthen and enrich both our library system and our community. To those who volunteer their time, energy and talents to our Adult Literacy department, Book Buddy program, Accessibility Services, Let’s Talk English program and teen volunteer initiatives, we give tremendous thanks!  Your efforts are appreciated by so many and really do make a difference,” said WPL CEO Kitty Pope, adding that its “appropriate to celebrate Howard Pawley and our inaugural volunteer award winners following National Volunteer Week.”

The Board will also be recognizing volunteers with 5 and 10 years of service to WPL.

The AGM will also include presentation of the Windsor Public Library 2018 Annual Report and the annual address by the library board chair. The public is welcome to attend.