A Young Reader Eager to

Explore a New Book

A child at a daycare was excited when she saw a new book that had been added to the collection. She sat down at a table and started reading. She became so engrossed in the book she didn't know I took the picture. When I sent the picture to her mom, she responded, "She was so excited about this book when I picked her up! She had to pull it out of the bag to show me and we had to start reading it as soon as we could when we got home."

Sittin' Pretty Pizza Night

Another terrific night at Sittin' Pretty! Though the weather was not very cooperative, we were still able to sell out and have lots of fun. Many of our youngest readers took time to sit in the makeshift reading corner. Fran Felton provided everyone with excellent music. Thanks to all who came out to dine and visit with friends and family. RedLou feels acknowledged and appreciated at events like this. Thank you!

We live in an incredible community!

Steve Lawless, the mastermind of Sittin' Pretty, and Mary share a hug and a laugh.

RedLou Bags Ready and Waiting

RedLou Library bags at a daycare center are ready for the arrival of students to fill with books to take home.

PBS Wisconsin

PBS Wisconsin donated over 30 books to RedLou Library as part of a "1000 Books Before Kindergarten" event in Muscoda, Wisconsin

Kickapoo Valley Reserve

Winter Festival

Mild winter weather made this years' winter festival pleasurable. So much to see and do outdoors! Good food indoors. Many stopped by to take a break and read a book or just learn about RedLou Library. Directly next to RedLou were the Llamas. Interesting to watch.

Viroqua Public Market Nightime Cozy Event

Saturday, November 8

Viroqua Public Market hosted an event for children and adults. Open after hours, patrons could shop, grab a bite to eat or just look around. RedLou Library set-up a cozy spot so children could stop by and read a cozy story.

Vernon County Awards Banquet

Each year Vernon County hosts an awards banquet honoring the following categories:

New Small Business of the Year
Legacy Small Business of the Year
Large Business of the Year
Non-Profit of the Year
Event of the Year
Community Impact Award Partnership for Progress
Young Leaders Award
Heritage Preservation and Cultural Development Award
People's Choice Award

RedLou is pleased to announce we were chosen for the 2025 Vernon County Nonprofit Excellence Award.

Thanking volunteers, businesses, facilities, and individuals

RedLou volunteers who attended

Inspire(d) Magazine

The summer edtion of Inspire(d) magazine featured an article about RedLou Library. Here is a link to the magazine site. The article is on pages 32-34. Inspire(d)

Viroqua Chamber of Commerce SOUP

What is SOUP?

Viroqua SOUP is a much-beloved crowd-funding event designed to support creative projects in our community. SOUP attendees donate $5 or more to receive a bowl of fresh locally-made soup and a slice of fresh bread, listen to three or four inspiring project pitches, and a ballot to cast for their favorite project. The project with the most votes receives all the funds raised that evening.

On Tuesday, May 13 RedLou was the top vote getter. A couple special donations made the pot worth $600! WOW! This generous sum will help RedLou meet its financial goals this year. We are grateful to the Viroqua Chamber for hosting the event and to all attendees.

Mary giving the facts about RedLou in a nutshell

New RedLou Library Site

RedLou's 2025 goal of expanding services throughout Vernon County continues to take shape. In April we began q partnership with Kids at Play Child Care Center near Stoddard.

We spent several hours setting up the book nook, registering new patrons and training staff. The smiling faces tell you how excited the children are to take home books! This opportunnity was made possible through a grant received from the Community Foundation of South Central Wisconsin.

Coon Valley Business Association Bingo Night

The Coon Valley Business Association holds a bingo night every second Thursday of the month. Each bingo night a nonprofit is selected to be the callers and the association donates $200 to the nonprofit. On April 10, RedLou was the selected nonprofit. We hope the participants had as much fun as we did! Thanks for your support!!

https://www.viroquafood.coop/

Thank you to all of you that participated in the Give Where You Live program in 2025. RedLou is using this year's fund to expand our services into the county. See photos below to see one of our expansion sites.

New RedLou Library Site

Students at St. Charles School in Genoa recently were able to visit their very own library thanks to RedLou. Our goal in 2025 is to reach more children throughout Vernon County, and this represents a step toward that goal. Funding from two grants (Lois Lenski Foundation and Community Foundation of South Central Wisconsin) will help us achieve our goal because while we can't be everywhere at once, our books can. Please help us achieve this goal by informing us of childcare locations in Vernon County, by being a volunteer and/or by providing books in good condition.

RedLou Library was the recipient of the Pizza of the Month. Owners of the Great River Roadhouse presented RedLou Library with a check for $1,420 plus cash from patron tips for $250. Thank you for giving back to your community.

Our first Saturday at the Roadhouse was a beautiful fall day. Looking forward to seeing you throughout the month of September.

Thank you to all who ordered delicious burgers at the Daily Brew Co. The Daily Brew has donated $250 to the RedLou Library. This donation transpired from the $2.00 donation for every burger sold on Wednesday nights throughout the month of July.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Daily Brew burger patrons!

Your support has provided the RedLou Library appreciable support. Everything we do is done through the efforts of our many volunteers and wonderful opportunities for fundraising.

Sittin' Pretty Pizza Night

We had a wonderful experience at Sittin' Pretty Farm! It was a gorgeous summer night, complete with delicious food, live music, beautiful scenery accented by an amazing sunset and plenty of fun. Our thanks and gratitude go out to Steve and crew, all our hard-working volunteers, and everyone who came and supported RedLou Library!

Daily Brew

RedLou Library had its first burger night at the Daily Brew. Each Wednesday in July you have a chance to try one of four varieties, Brew Burger, Pub Burger, Spicy Norwegian Burger, Walnut Burger on the menu. For every burger ordered between 4-8 pm $2.00 comes to RedLou.

Hot Air Balloon Rally

On Saturday, June 29 RedLou Library was at the Hot Air Balloon Rally in Viroqua. It was a fundraiser for the nonprofit a Little Rae of Hope. Bringing hope to stroke victims. Here a RedLou volunteer reads a story to a visitor.

Viroqua Farmer's Market

At the Viroqua Farmer's Market on Saturday, May 18 lots of families spent time at the RedLou Library. So many readers! RedLou Library will be at the Farmer's Market every third Saturday. Hope to see you there on Saturday, June 15.

Volunteer helps prepare books

A RedLou Library volunteer secured a Thrivent donation to help purchase books for summer special events. These events include a hot air balloon, rocks and gems and farmers markets. Not only did the volunteer secure the donation, she helped ready the books so they can be on display at events and available for check out.

Thank You, Viroqua Walmart!

RedLou Library has received a $2,000 grant through the Walmart Spark Good Local Grant program.

This grant, along with other funding, helps increase awareness of RedLou Library's mission in providing special literary opportunities for individuals living in the greater Viroqua area. These opportunities are provided by RedLou's mobile library services for people of all ages.

The grant was presented during Walmart's Grand Re-opening on Friday, May 3, 2024.

Driftless Cafe Burger Night

Wow! Thank you to all who ordered delicious burgers at the Driftless Cafe! The cafe has donated $3,000 to the RedLou Library. This donation transpired from the $2.00 donation for every burger sold on Thursday nights throughout the winter.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Driftless Cafe burger patrons!

Your support has provided the RedLou Library appreciable support. Everything we do is done through the efforts of our many volunteers and wonderful opportunities for fundraising.

April 2024 - Chuck, Mary, & Ruthie

https://www.viroquafood.coop/

Dear Patrons, Employees and Board Members of the Viroqua Food Co-op:

Thank you, thank you, thank you once again for all the love, encouragement and support you have provided RedLou Library. Everything we do is done through the efforts of our many volunteers and fundraising.

Give Where You Live funds are crucial in helping us meet our goals. You helped us raise nearly $4,500. Last year we used these funds to purchase amazing picture and board books. This year we will use the funds for books and annual operating expenses (e.g., gas, insurance, vehicle maintenance and repair).

Thank you for your incredible giving and support.

Mary & Chuck Mulvaney-Kemp

As part of the "GivingTuesday" campaign Wonderstate Coffee donated to the RedLou Library. Thank you for your support of this and other local nonprofit projects.

RedLou Library was lucky enough to be selected as a recipient of the Give Where You Live program. We were given the month of September. Round-ups, donations, and 1% Wednesday added up to $5,101.12. Unbelievable!

Check out the Viroqua Food Coop facebook page at the link below to see the story.

https://www.facebook.com/viroquafoodcoop

National Night Out 2023

National Night Out was held at the Fairgrounds on Tuesday, August 1. The event was well attended by county residents. Food, fun and lots to see and learn about our emergency response teams in Vernon County as well as many other businesses and organizations. A scavenger hunt asked attendees to take a selfie while reading a book. It created lots of visitors to the RedLou van.

MacHelp Donation

After RedLou purchased an internet based circulation system computers became essential while at a stop. MacHelp donated two Mac laptops to RedLou. Thank you

Browsing Books

While at a daycare one young patron (3-4 years old) was selecting his books to take home. He found a book and plunked down on the floor and read/sang the entire book. The book was "Old MacDonald". What terrific readers we are growing through RedLou! I only wish we had thought to video the reading.

Happy Anniversary RedLou

Mulvaney-Kemp Family

RedLou's anniversary is Nov. 1. However, before the weather got too cold to be celebrated outdoors RedLou had an anniversary gathering. Mary presented some information about what RedLou has accomplished in its first year. RedLou circulated nearly 11,000 items in its first year. Though RedLou charges no fines or fees there are only 12 items that have been lost or damaged.

Mary feels it amazing what can be accomplished when people work together, she said it is like "Magic, Community Magic".

Mary is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse. In an online alumni publication an article about the RedLou Library was featured in September. Use this link to view the article UWL Article

Donation in Memory of a Friend

Who Nurtured Kids

A donation was made in honor of a former teacher, speech pathologist and wonderful person. The donor wrote, "Mary Bennett dedicated her life to nurturing children and their communication and language skills." Because books help improve vocabulary and language skills the donor requested that we use the money to buy children's books to continue Mary's life work. Here is a picture of some of the books that will keep Mary's legacy alive.

Reads Creek Gem and Fossil Event

Reads Creek organized a gem and fossil event for families and individuals. Wow, so much fun! You could register for an expedition lead by a geologist or just wander around. Have lunch at a Mexican food truck or watch flint knappers work their craft. Face and rock painting are all part of the day as well. You can do a little or all, it doesn't matter. It was perfect weather to spend a day outdoors in nature. As people wandered around they stopped and read a book or learned about the mission of RedLou Library.

Storytime with a Provider

Final "Storytime with a Provider" was held at LaFarge Clinic on Friday, August 19. Family Nurse Practitioner Kelly Scheder read the story "Circle" by Mac Barnett. A delightful story about three shapes playing hide and seek.

Vernon County National Night Out

Once again National Night Out was well attended by county residents. Food, fun and lots to see and learn about our emergency response teams in Vernon County as well as many other businesses and organizations. Lots of visitors stopped by the RedLou Library to take a break and enjoy a book or learn about our mission.

Summer Park Stops

RedLou Library stops at parks and playgrounds from 7:00 - 8:00 pm this summer. Here, a reader at a park stop from this summer, so many books to choose from!

You can see our complete schedule for the remainder of the summer by using the link below.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zgfNatk2zKlAG7sxSnJNrbF333FQc2E9/editusp=sharing&ouid=106727707733771613052&rtpof=true&sd=true

Storytime at Eckhart Park

Every Thursday at 10:00 am RedLou Library provides a story time at Eckhart Park near the bathroom end of the park. Stories and games are part of the fun each week. Come join the fun each Thursday.

Dog Days of Summer

Second Nature at Read's Creek Nursery sponsored a Dog Days of Summer event to support the Humane Society. Lots of fun activities and information for pet owners. RedLou Library was also invited. Folks stopped to read some of the many dog and cat books on the library.

Viroqua Food Coop donated a group of new books to the RedLou Library. The books are beautiful. I know they will be read by many.

Story Time with a Provider

RedLou Library and Vernon Memorial Healthcare teamed up to provide story time at Bland, Hirsch and La Farge Clinics. Thanks Dr. Calkins from Bland, Nurse Practitioner Deb Gallagher from Hirsch, and Family Nurse Practitioner Kelly Scheder from La Farge.

Dr. Calkins reads "Jabari Jumps" by Gaia Cornwall.

Nurse Practitioner Deb Gallagher reads, "The Hike" by Alison Farrell.

Kelly Scheder reads "The Noisy Night" by Gwendolyn Hooks and Mike Byrne to a group of summer school children from LaFarge Schools.

Eckhart Park Story Time

Throughout the summer RedLou Library will be hosting a story time at Eckhart Park at 10:00 am. RedLou Library will located near the bathrooms. Anyone is eligible to become a registered RedLou user. There are no fines or fees to utilize the RedLou Library. RedLou Library will be at Eckhart Park on Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 on the following dates: June 2, 9, 16; July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18, 25. You can attend story time and check out or just check out.

Here are some pictures from the first Eckhart Park story time. We read stories, put on some plays and had fun with the parachute. Hope you will come to join in the fun at Eckhart Park.

Viroqua Montessori Preschool

At story time, we have been practicing two plays, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff "and "The Three Little Pigs". Children swapped parts from week to week. But this week they presented the plays to the RedLou volunteers.

Viroqua Elementary and Montessori Learn About RedLou Library

RedLou Library visited Viroqua Elementary and Montessori School. Classes toured the library as well as learned about all the stops RedLou will be making this summer.

Rotary Mini-Grant

The area Rotary organization was offering $500 grants to projects that met the Four-Way Test of Rotary.

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Looking at the applications through this Test they determined multiple winners of their grant. RedLou Library was lucky enough to be awarded a grant. We will use this money to purchase bins so all the picture books can be front facing. Allowing young children to “read” the cover easily to see if the book interests them. Thank you Rotary for supporting our community.

Driftless Curiosity and RedLou Library

Driftless Curiosity and RedLou Library collaborated to provide a poetry walk for first graders. They read poetry, ate a picnic lunch, read in the hammocks with buddies, hiked, and did crafts.

Readers on their hike to the hammocks stopped and read animal poetry from a book by Valerie Worth titled, "Animal Poems"

After the poetry walk we headed to a stand of pines with hammocks. We ate lunch, read and relaxed in the hammocks.

Family Games Night

Viroqua Elementary sponsored a family games night. RedLou Library was outside to provide families with information about its evening stops for the summer.

These two girls were eager to "checkout" the library. Browsing the shelves to find what they love to read.

Community Resource Night

Viroqua Area Schools PreKindergarten and Montessori sponsored a community resource event for families with a child who will be 4 years old by September 1. Families explored the RedLou Library. They learned about our mission, purpose and the plans for summer.

Sweet Valley Artisan

"The Giving Bench"

Sweet Valley Artisan in Coon Valley, Wisconsin selects three charities each quarter to donate to. RedLou Library was selected as one of the charities for the first quarter.

Stop by their store and support local artisans as well as a local charities.

Thank you for your donation!

Xcel energy donated to RedLou Library. RedLou used these funds to purchase children's books and large print books.

Book donation to honor a

grandchild's first birthday

These books were donated in celebration of a grandson's first 365 days of life. This child spent the first month in a neonatal ICU. The little guy is happy, healthy, and doing fantastic!

What an amazing gift!

What an amazing celebration!

Thank you for your generosity,

kindness, and thoughtfulness.

Many, many children will

benefit from your gift.

Written in the card with the donation the grandparents stated:

"Is there a greater gift than that of books/reading/exploring/knowledge?!"

Our first trip to the Forest School at parent pick-up.

Creamery Creek

The weekly lobby stop at Creamery Creek finds a dad and his son enjoying the library together. Cart loads of books and coffee table books to browse. Books about the Korean War, picture books for grandkids and great grandkids and everything in between.

Vernon Area Rehabilitation Center

RedLou Library now stops at VARC every Tuesday.

Patrons select books and checkout.

You can learn more about VARC at

https://www.varcinc.com/about/

Book Donation

Author Kevin Kunkel has a local connection. He and his mother-in-law, Cindy Guist donated a signed copy of his book, "The World We Choose" to RedLou Library. You can go to this website and hear the book be read by people around the world, it is very cool!

https://kevinkunkelauthor.com/

Twinklefest Parade

RedLou Library all decked out for the parade. Thanks Viroqua Chamber for organizing the parade.

WKBT News Clip

Click on the link below and view a 30 second newsclip about Redlou

Viroqua nonprofit library brings books to both young and old (news8000.com)

Vernon Communication Video

Reading: A Shared Experience

Here is a photo that was shared with Mary. A father and son enjoy a wordless picture book. The book was checked out from RedLou Library during a visit to the son's daycare.

It is fantastic!

I wanted everyone to see it.

Viroqua Daycare "Checks Out"

the RedLou Library

After storytime, kids from Viroqua Daycare were all smiles as they selected books to checkout. Trucks, Look and Find, Knights, and seasonal books were popular choices.

Maplewood Terrace

Residents of Maplewood Terrace Assisted Living facility enjoy the new RedLou Library service they are receiving. Some like to sit and read, others to browse and checkout.

PrairieWind Halloween

PrairieWind sponsored a Halloween party.

RedLou participated with fun Halloween books.

Lots of fun and games for everyone as well

Viroqua Lions

Viroqua Lions Organization donated to RedLou Library and gets a tour of the van.

Viroqua/Westby

Book Club Donates

Martha Hoffland presents Mary with a donation from Viroqua/Westby Book Club

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market readers

"I think you should choose a bigger book!?"

"Hey you! That's my chair!

A family enjoys books with Mary.

Neighborhood After School

While Mary was preparing the library, the neighborhood children enjoyed reading after school.

Soccer

At the season finale of Driftless United Soccer young players waited for their turn to play. While they waited, they visited RedLou Library and read.

Creamery Creek

A stop a Creamery Creek to schedule visits.

Their dog was ready to checkout.

"What do you mean I can't checkout?"

Helping Prepare Books

A group of people helped place a book pocket in each book for RedLou Library. One volunteer brought her puppy. I wanted to keep it. It is named "Deaver." After adult author Jeffrey Deaver. With a name like that it was so appropriate that the puppy came to help with books.

The Dinners

Dinner guests were welcomed and served their choice of beverages. We had a beer and hard cider both brewed by local resident Paul Buhr served in frosted glasses.

Reactions of dinner guests when they saw RedLou Library driving down the road.

Desserts at the dinner

Lemony White Almond Cake Turtle Cheesecake

Chocolate Cheesecake (with homemade chocolate sauce)

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