Volunteer Corner

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     Editor’s Note: Effective communications is the lifeblood of any organization, which is why the Friends are delighted to have Tracy Danz join our board of directors as Marketing Communications Chairperson. If you get the chance to talk to Tracy about books, you’ll quickly see that he is a walking and talking encyclopedia of knowledge about authors and their work. We asked Tracy to quickly introduce himself to you, and here’s what he said about his lifelong love of books.

     From my earliest elementary school experience, I was given the gift of wonderful librarians who helped guide me to just the right authors for my inquisitive mind. By the time I had reached high school, I began to imagine a future filled with books. 

     I was lucky enough to be a part of the publishing industry for my entire career. As a college senior while managing an author event at a Chicago area bookstore, Jan Berenstain, of the Berenstain Bears children’s books series, pointed me to a  job at her publisher, Random House. Most of my work life was spent at HarperCollins and, locally, with Zondervan. My final job with this group, just prior to retirement, was as the Director of Library Sales. 

     When my wife, Marny, and I moved to Michigan, one of our first orders of business was getting KDL library cards. The importance of libraries in a vibrant community can’t be overstated. We have attended music events, unicorn parties, met authors, grabbed tax forms, dropped off our ballots, and of course bought books at the annual Fourth of July book sale. I love how our library never closes. I can grab a magazine from the Libby app or maybe an audio book from Hoopla even if it’s the middle of the night. 

     I look forward to helping the Friends of Cascade Library in their support of our local gem of a library. 

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