The Book Festival Middle School Cafe 2008 has come and gone. We had a wonderful time "Under the Ice." Students and volunteers read and bought books, munched on yummy treats, dressed like penguins, sang karaoke, and "hung out" with friends.

Many thanks to the Steering Committee for countless hours, donations, and creativity: Joan Ireland, Chris Levesque, Gary Rosenbaum, and Claire ten Bensel.

A big thank you and a huge hug to each of the more than 60 MPA volunteers who gave time, energy, and "stuff" to the Cafe. The following volunteers shopped for food, set up and cleaned up the Cafe, organized the new and used books, provided karaoke, helped with communications and finances, donated materials, and/or staffed the Cafe during operation: Leigh Andrews, Gay Bartholic, Kathy Bourne, Dana Boyle, Julie Chambers, Karl Chun, Gretchen Corkrean, Catherine Dallner, LeeAnn Diedrich, Nancy Dunlavy, Kristen Ehren, Mary Eret, Dawn Erickson, Ginger Etzold, Cindy Gardner, Dana Garvey, Emma Holmes, Laura Holmes, Sarah Jahn, Liz Jansen, Lora Kasper, Randee Killeen, Andrew Kluge, Victoria Kluge, William Kluge, Martha Krikava, Kelly Lavers, Carrie Maurer, Susan McElvain, Elizabeth Melton, Hanne Messerich, Charlotte Morgan, Charlie Murphy, Ruth Nasseff, Benjamin Neumann-Chun, Nicholas Neumann-Chun, Rosie O'Brien, Connor Olson; Kim Otness, Dee Polacek, Eric Polacek , Judith Ragir, Mary Rolfs, Schuyler Rosefield, Tieran Rosefield, Andy Schmitt, Sara Schmitt, Cheryl Schow, April Scott, Shari Sebastian, Corinne Seltz, Christine Smith, Jesse Springer, Sean Springer, Remi Stone, students from the Upper School Science Club, Tracy Stutz, Kris Vick, Carol Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Andrea Yoch, and other MS students who stopped in just to help.

Thank you, also, to the following MPA staff for loaning us equipment and giving us support: Librarians--Nancy Lage and Shannon Horton; Middle School--Bob Cooke, Janice King, and the Middle School teachers who brought in their classes and supervised students; Used Books--Marina Dale and Marisue Gleason; Upper School Science Club--Marc Shapiro; Physical Education--Joe Kordosky and Katrina Stoltz; Development--Tasslyn Magnusson and Bry Nagan; Reception--Ann Caspar and Jackie Kemper; Kitchen--Jeremy Peterson and Mary Pat Fabeck; and the Custodians-- Vince Meyer, Eric Barnes, Roger Eibon, Charles Haugen, Darrell Kizart, Patrick McLees, Daniel Parades, Shane Pederson, John Schneider, Tom Schulte, and Erv Smith.

Meet you at the MS Café next year!

Cheers---Jane Neumann, Chair