This year’s Rotary Annual Book Sale was a tremendous success, raising more money than ever before and providing the club with an even greater opportunity to support organisations and projects throughout our community.

Behind the scenes, a huge amount of work went into preparing for the sale. An impressive 1,117 boxes of books, along with 52 boxes of CDs and DVDs and 176 puzzles and games, were sorted, displayed and offered for sale. The new bookstall layout proved to be a success, creating a fresh and welcoming presentation for customers. Of course, there are always things we can improve, and several ideas have already been discussed for next year.

The Book Sale Committee would like to acknowledge the many people who contributed to making the weekend such a success. Special thanks go to our Rotarian partners and friends of Rotary who helped in so many ways, both in the lead-up to the sale and throughout the weekend. Margaret, Raylene, Pam, Carolyne and Claire were presented with flowers as a small token of appreciation for their invaluable support, from sorting books to keeping our hungry Rotarians well fed!

A special thank you goes to Frank Leckie, whose knowledge and experience were invaluable in identifying books that had potential value. His careful eye ensured that these books were recognised and priced appropriately, helping us achieve the best possible return from some of the more valuable items.

We are also extremely grateful to the Otago Racing Club for its ongoing support, providing storage for the books throughout the year and allowing us to host the Book Sale at the Wingatui Racing Club rooms. This support has been an important part of making the sale possible.

And, of course, a huge thank you to our dedicated book collectors and sorters — Peter, Austen, Wayne and Kevin. Their work throughout the year collecting, sorting and preparing books laid the foundation for another successful sale.

With the final tally looking so positive, the inevitable question was asked: “Do we hold the Book Sale again in 2027?”Following a unanimous vote from members, the answer was a resounding yes! A date will be set, and the book collectors and sorters have already been encouraged to get the collection roster underway again.

The success of the Book Sale is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when Rotarians, friends, partners and supporters all work together. From the first box collected to the last book sold, it was truly a team effort — and one that will make a real difference to the community organisations we are able to support.

If you’d like, I can also make this a little more humorous and conversational for a Rotary year-in-review booklet or President’s report.