Library Friends Announce Volunteer of the Year

The following was submitted by the Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library:

The Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library have named Richard (Dick) Bates the 2011 Friend of the Year by a unanimous vote of the Friends board. A long-time member of the Friends, Dick is stepping down from the board after 11 years of service.

Dick initially became active with the Friends through their used book sales. He volunteered as a book sorter some 15 or more years ago – even before he had retired from GM after 34 years, most of the last of them in human resources with the Powertrain Group out of world headquarters. He has worked every book sale, which are held at least three times a year, helping to set up and often acting as a shift chairman. On several occasions, when the book room was overloaded, Dick personally took as many as 100 boxes of books, loaded them in his truck, and stored them in his garage until they could be returned and unpacked for the sale.

Also active with the holiday home tour, over the years Dick has spent many hours in the cold, placing and collecting directional signs, delivering mats and materials to the homes and helping direct traffic at times. He has gone out into the community to solicit sponsors for the tour, and has spread awareness of the Friends group wherever he goes.

When the Friends needed recipes for their fundraiser cookbook, Cooking with the Friends, Dick and his sons gladly contributed several of their wild game recipes. He’s an avid hunter, clay target shooter, downhill skier, back packer and trail rider. He assists his wife, Julia, in her work providing horseback riding for handicapped children, and started a ski program for physically disabled children several years ago at Alpine Valley.

The Friends are fortunate that this outdoorsman with an appreciation for books and reading plans to continue his support and of the group and the library.