Pawling Library Donates Books to Hospital Patients

Pawling Library Donates Books to Hospital Patients

By Susan Stone

Over the long summer, as the Pawling Library continued to receive gently used books from active readers, near and far, board members Wanda Rusiecki and Karen Franco sorted through the donations in order to pack up the best paperbacks for the patients at Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital Behavioral Health Units.

With the annual book sale cancelled this year due to Covid-19, the generous donations of books by many in the community that would ordinarily be available for sale at this annual fundraiser continued to pour in. As storage space quickly filled, board members looked for ways to make meaningful donations to places where the joys of reading would be most appreciated. The letter of thanks received from Mr. Bill Crowley, at the hospital, made it clear that the efforts made by Ms. Rusiecki and Ms. Franco were welcomed and valued. “These books will help many patients cope with long hours of recovery…during their hospital admission,” Mr. Crowley added, and he wondered if additional books could be sent. Books are now being sorted in order to fulfill the needs of those patients who look forward to a “good read” during quiet times.

Author: Harlem Valley News