The Friends of the Ridgeland Library President has been honored with a national award for her volunteer work at the library.
The Friends of the Ridgeland Library is a nonprofit organization that exists to help the library be the best it can be. Teresa Gerald has been a member of the organization since the early 2000’s and became an active volunteer when she retired in 2014. In 2017, she became a member of the board and later that year was voted in as president.
“I’ve always loved books and loved libraries, and I wanted to do some volunteer work after I retired,” Gerald said. “I couldn’t think of a better group to work with and people to work with who love books and love libraries.”
Gerald said she has enjoyed her volunteer work because of her love for books and libraries but also because she has made so many friends with wonderful, like-minded people who she never would have had the opportunity to know without the Friends of the Ridgeland Library.
“These people give selflessly of their time, energy and money for membership fees and donations, and they’ve always been so supportive in whatever we’ve asked for from our friends group,” Gerald said. “It’s just been a very rewarding experience.”
When Gerald received an email saying she had been nominated for the National Point of Light Award, which honors people who volunteer and do things over and above themselves for the good of the community, state, nation and world, she was surprised.
“I assumed it was for my work during the censorship situation that happened last year at the Ridgeland Library,” Gerald said. “All I did was send out a bunch of emails, make a bunch of phone calls, and go to city council meetings – I didn’t get up on a soapbox and espouse my theories or ideas. I just wanted people to be aware of what was going on. But the award dealt more with volunteering for book sales and helping the library be the best it can be.”
She said she has been pleasantly surprised by that.
“It’s just something that came out of the blue,” Gerald said. “I never expected it. Every time I think about it, I smile.”
Gerald said she has been so blessed in her life and she wants to give back, which her parents instilled in her by being great role models.
“The older I get, the more important it becomes to me,” Gerald said. “I just think that people need to give back because we have so much in this country and we take it for granted.”
Gerald believes the library plays a critical role in the community as a meeting place and a place full of information that everyone should feel comfortable coming in to receive.
“Our community is very diverse – we have a lot of affluence and we have poverty,” Gerald said. “We need to touch all of those groups, whether it’s giving them things and opportunities and materials and resources that they don’t have or getting them to help us have those things available.”
Through whichever avenue one chooses, Gerald encourages everyone to get involved in their community and with different volunteering opportunities because of how rewarding it can be and the friends she has made along the way.
“It gets me out of my recliner, keeps me moving and keeps me active,” Gerald said. “I love to read and read all the time, and I begrudge having to give up my reading time – except when I’m doing my volunteer work. It’s a different kind of satisfaction that I get from it than just sitting down and reading a book.”
Gerald said she encourages everyone to find an opportunity to give back.
“They will be pleasantly surprised about the level of satisfaction they can achieve,” Gerald said.
