[Chat] Fw: Supporting the Village Learning Place

Fri Oct 17 08:14:22 EDT 2008

Her is a mesage from a good friend concerning the VLP event on Saturday.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sarah Begus 
To: Emery Sally ; Ann & Jackie ; D'Adamo Peggy & Steve ; ludwig9 at toast.net ; Gillen Jay ; Gillett Sylvia ; Leight Claudia ; Ruland Barb ; Schlegel Brad ; Spiliadis Pauline & Stelios ; Storms Dory ; Talbott Sue ; Szczeszek Greg ; Walker & Dale Dusman Paul ; Krieger Betsy ; Sheridan Nick ; Stanne Joan ; O'Brien A.J. ; Gillian Silver ; finddudley at aol.com 
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:46 PM
Subject: Supporting the Village Learning Place

Dear Friends,

Otto and I are writing to you to implore you to support, The Village Learning Place,  an invaluable resource for the Charles Village Community and the many poor and academically disadvantaged children it serves.

As I'm sure you all know, about 10 years ago, when the Enoch Pratt Library announced it was closing the St. Paul St. Library -- one of the original neighborhood libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie in the 19th Century, the Charles Village community banded together and decided to try to save this precious neighborhood resource.  The Late Delegate Pete Rawlings helped us get a foundation grant from the Open Spaces program to enable us to begin renovation planning.  Major Schmoke began renting the now vacant library to the community for one dollar a year.  We used the State grant to leverage another founding grant of a quarter of a million dollars from the Abell Foundation.  Many, many hours of community effort from all kinds of folks of all ages, transformed the decaying building into a beautiful renovated 19th brick gem.  A library committee raised money and bought the founding stock of books; a grant was received for the installation of a computer lab and the basement of the building was transformed into a after school learning enrichment program.

The VLP now served nearly a hundred low-income students from the community, many of them from the Margaret Brent Elementary School.  We have a beautiful rebuilt learning garden, as well as programs for adults and senior.  Last year, Darran White Tilghman, the Development Director secured a 21st Century Learning Grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will allow the VLP to expand its learning programs.

But the library cannot survive without major community support.  Every year, the VLP holds a fund raising event for the community called, "Read Between the Wines."  It is a gala party with food and wine, an auction, music and dancing.  David Wells from the Wine Source, long one of our important beneficiares, contributes the wine.

This years event , Read Between the Wines, is being held this Saturday, October 18th at 7PM.  It is always a lot of fun and Otto and I look forward to it with eagerness.

If you have not already purchased a ticket -- they are $50 now and $60 at the door, please, please consider so doing.  It will be a fun evening where we can all get together, eat some tasty food, drink some lovely wines and just "get down" and have a great time while we are supporting this wonderful organization.   But, even if you can't attend, it would be wonderful if you could buy a ticket.

We know that economic times are very tough and that their is a tremendous pull on our charitable giving.  But, Otto and I think this is a very good, immediate and local way to make a charitable contribution that will immediately improve the lives of some young people who need our help.

If you want to know more about the Village Learning Place Programs, and/or would like to purchase a ticket, feel free to call Darran White Tilghman, Director of Development at the VLP.  Her number is: (410) 235-2210 x204.

We thank you very, very much for taking the time to consider this and to help the VLP reach even greater numbers of children in our neighborhood.  And we so hope to see you on Saturday night.

With loving gratitude,

Sarah and Otto Begus            
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