NCTV telethon raises more than $8,000 for Nevada County libraries

Photo by Bob Lickter NCTV Executive Director Paul Minicucci and telethon coordinator Lew Sitzer take their turn in front of the camera at the Feb. 20 telethon.

The six-hour telethon featured a number of literary figures, including poets Molly Fisk, Steve Sanfield and Gary Snyder, who won a Pulitzer Prize. Musician Ludi Hinrichs played the didgeridoo and trombone at the telethon.

The fund-raiser was organized after Nevada County decided to seek requests to outsource the management of the library system to a private contractor, which was a response to an estimated $400,000 budget shortfall due to declining sales tax revenue.

Numerous efforts were launched to encourage the Board of Supervisors to oppose the outsourcing, including petition drives and fund-raising efforts that Paul Minicucci, Nevada County Television’s new executive director, said made a real difference.

“This is a testament to the energy, generosity and power of the community here in Nevada County,” he said. “Not only did the community make their message clear: we want the library to continue in the public sector, they backed it up with significant pledges.”

The Board of Supervisors never did vote on the outsourcing proposal. The county took the proposal off the table before a scheduled vote at the Feb. 23 meeting. County Librarian Mary Ann Trygg now has the task of finding $400,000 to cut from a $1.8 million annual budget.

The six-hour telethon featured a number of literary figures, including poets Molly Fisk, Steve Sanfield and Gary Snyder, who won a Pulitzer Prize. Musician Ludi Hinrichs played the didgeridoo and trombone at the telethon.

The event had raised $8,300 as of March 1, said Minicucci, adding that pledges can still be made by going to www.nevadacountytv.org.

  The money is being sent to the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries, which is sending all proceeds to the county librarian.

“I want to thank all the volunteers and donors for making this event a memorable success," said Lew Sitzer, the event coordinator and a NCTV Board member. “This event could not have been possible without the dedication of volunteers such as Denise Dunlap and Ingrid Knox (president of the Friends), and many others.”

Sitzer said 60 volunteers worked on the telethon, including 30 performers and readers, nine emcees and 15 crew members. A number of volunteers also worked at the phone bank, he said.

 A video of the telethon can be seen at www.nevadacountytv.org.