Draw was made for this bouquet of flowers The board of the Portage Regional Library honoured its volunteers last Friday evening for their valuable input into the program.

Chairperson Evelyn Braun says it's an annual event.

"Every year in the spring we like to do an appreciation activity for our volunteers. And in the spring that includes everybody. We have volunteers who do work either weekly or perhaps biweekly, monthly. We have others that come in for a special project when we have a need. Then there are people who may donate things for an exhibit, or there were people that came because they played Christmas Music in December. Just a wide variety of things."

Braun says about 50 people showed up.

Some deserts volunteers enjoyed (photo submitted by Candice Blume)"We enjoyed some delicious deserts and fruit together, and various beverages. There was a draw for a bouquet of flowers. And also I typically do a bit of a speech thanking people for their work and just encouraging them, and letting them know how much we appreciate them for what they do, and what a difference it makes."

She notes the value their volunteers mean to the library.

"Personally, a few years back I was speaking to a librarian at one very small library in the rural area, and they literally threw out books that needed mending because they don't have the staff time to do it. And they didn't have the volunteers to do it. Whereas, we have volunteers who do that on a regular basis."

She notes one of the provincial government officials at last years A.M.M. meeting in Brandon said Portage la Prairie has the best rural library in the province.

If you'd like to volunteer, there is a form you can fill out at the library with questions about your skills and the time you can donate.