I’ve been in upstate New York on a much-needed vacation, but that meant missing Saturday pop-ups at The Free Books Place. This past Saturday, I can’t tell you how nice it was to pull into the driveway at 9 a.m. and see three people already waiting for the doors to open.
I know them. J and L are a couple, and F is their friend. They are wonderful people who love to charge their phones and just chill for a few hours, but they contribute so much more to The Free Books Project.
L is an artist who says that drawing relaxes her. She gifts much of her artwork to us as her way of “giving back for all you do for me.” And “all we do” is be there. You can see her work displayed around the The Free Books Place, about a dozen pieces tacked to the bulletin board in the kitchen.
Her partner, J, always helps me set up and carries boxes of books when others do their drop-offs. He is also our coffee maker and cook/baker as needed. This Saturday, we had some hotdogs leftover in the freezer, and J boiled them right up. There are none left, if you were wondering. L is going to make a squash soup of us today, July 29. Next Saturday, J will make his famous chili.
F loves to chat and read the paper. Although inside voices are important in a books place, it’s important to meet members of the community where they are, not where we want them to be. Many more personalities rolled through shortly after the morning got started. However, if these three were the only people who showed up on any given Saturday, I would be satisfied.
Join us this morning for squash soup and to check out some of L’s artwork! Quaker Meeting House in Camden (808 Cooper Street) from 9am to 2pm. See you there!
Written by: Tom Martin, Executive Director
Edited by: Breanna Ransome, MA