Friends Of La Mesa Library President Named 2024 Volunteer Of The Year

LA MESA, CA— Friends of the La Mesa Library Board President John Schmitz was honored as Volunteer of the Year by the San Diego County Library, as presented Tuesday morning at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting.

The San Diego County Volunteer Program acknowledges volunteers by department across the county annually, the clerk of the board, Andrew Potter, said at the meeting. The individuals honored were nominated by the department and represent over 9,000 volunteers across the county, he explained to those present. Among them, the San Diego County Library nominated the La Mesa Friends of the La Mesa Board President for his tireless work at that branch.

"John has served as president of the Friends of the La Mesa Library for over 13 years. His efforts have seen the Friends group grow into a thriving group of volunteers dedicated to supporting library services in the La Mesa Community," Potter said during the meeting. "John has been instrumental in relaunching annual school visits to the La Mesa Civic Center, introducing services to third graders, including the library, police and fire stations, city hall, and public works. He also worked tirelessly to facilitate the creation of the La Mesa Library task force to explore ways to expand the library to meet the needs of the community. His advocacy has demonstrated his commitment to the good of La Mesa and the San Diego County Library. John has contributed over 780 hours of volunteer service."

To mark San Diego Volunteer Appreciation Month, Samantha Lanham accepted the city's proclamation.

"To our dedicated volunteers, thank you for your hours giving back to our communities," she said. "The county volunteer program continues to thrive because of the board's support."

If you wish to join the Friends of the La Mesa Library, an annual membership is $10 and affords a 50 percent discount at the Friends bookstore. For more information, visit their website.