Bookworms Help Fund Chrysalis Room At Bethesda

The Chair of the Bethesda Auxiliary says she's thrilled by the results from their Fall Book Faire.

Phyllis Toews says they raised about $10,200 which is their second highest total ever for the Fall Faire.

"I think people are just reading again, they're realizing the quality of the books we're getting are very good," notes Toews, when asked why this month's Faire was so successful. "It's hard to tell because we hear the eReader's taking over but people in this area still like the hard copies."

According to Toews, the fall sale is considerably smaller than the annual spring sale. She notes they offer many more books in spring and this year raised nearly $17,000. The combined amount this year from the two sales is around $27,000 and Toews notes that will go towards the $30,000 construction project of a Chrysalis Room.

"Chrysalis is the stage in a butterfly's life where it is encased in a hard shell and then it opens up, it's being prepared for the next stage of life," she says.

The Chrysalis Room will be for family and staff of patients in palliative care. She notes it can be a place of solitude for families or a meeting room.

"We're very, very proud to be a part of this," says Toews.

"We have the letter of intent that we are promising the money, it will be out very soon and then they can start," she says.