A retiree, Grand Marshall, mentor and friend.....

This year a wonderful woman is retiring from a job that she has had for 40....yes FORTY years.  She will forever hold a special place in my "old" community's heart. That community that I speak of is Altona, Illinois. That  job is librarian of a well oiled machine, commonly know as The Ransom Memorial Public Library. If you know ANYTHING at all about the Altona library you know whom I speak of. And if you don't let me tell you....

~Janice Larson, Librarian at The Ransom Memorial Public Library~

She is making sure her last Summer Reading Program has no kinks and is as fun as they have always been and then she is going to relax and call it 40 years ;) She has been everything to that library and to the patrons for as many years as I can remember. She was my very first boss, and because of that title I know for a fact that she has more patience than most people I know.

There was ALWAYS a summer reading program, story times, and crafts. The library was a place where many kids/parents/grandparents just went to hang out. It was not open every single day, all day...but I will tell you what, that was a wonderful thing! It made us appreciate the days it was open and the hours, all the more. We couldn't wait until Wednesday or Saturday for it to be open during the day. We really couldn't wait for it to be open on Thursday evenings, because that always meant walking home in the dark carrying our "special" bag (over the years they changed...some were Esprit bags, Eagles grocery bags, just plain ole canvas bags with sayings such as "life's a beach" or "SWATCH", heck, they sometimes changed weekly) filled of books, contemplating which book we would start right as soon as we got home and was tucked into bed. She always made sure that "little" library had all the latest and greatest reading material. And if they didn't she made sure she found it and got it to us!

I have SO many fond memories of my time at the library, so many are because of the choices she made and time she put into that place, others are of just her. Her being my boss, a friend to my Mom, a friend to me, a mentor. Someone that I have never ever heard anyone have an unkind word about, in this day and age that is VERY hard to come by.

Please take a moment out of your day and send her some of your memories, kind words, and words of gratitude. She is someone who will genuinely take each and every "story" that you send her and lock it away, in a special place in her heart. Let's show her that we appreciate and appreciated her hard work, her volunteering, and what her all around wonderful attitude and HUGE heart has brought us. If you have some special pictures of your times at the Library please scan them to your computer and send them along with your kind words, everyone LOVES  a picture right?! Afterall, they are worth a thousand words! =)   If you have no memories of the Library but are an acquaintance of Janice's or you don't even know her, send her a "Congratulations" or a "Job well done" or whatever well wishes you prefer anyway...it will mean so much to her!

Please send to ransompl@mymctc.net BEFORE the 18th. Why, you ask...because the Library board has decided to make a book for Janice full of all your kind words! How cool is that?!?

This "book" will be presented to her at an Open House that is to be held in her honor on June 23rd at the Altona Fire Station, it will start right after The Altona Days parade in which Janice is Grand Marshall!!!!!!!  Please take some time out of your day and watch the parade which starts at 11am and then head on over to the fire station to see Janice...she would love to see everyone!!! The parade route starts at the Altona Grade School goes down Johnson-Pyle Dr all the way to the fire station, so if you want front row seats, sit your bootie on Johnson-Pyle Drive! =)

Remember, give something back to the woman that gave to so many for 40 years....

~Thanks~

Ohhhh and there are fireworks at dusk too!!!!! Who doesn't love a good firework?!?