After reading scores of applications from many deserving organizations, the Dayton Book Fair Foundation announced on Monday that they have chosen three area non-profits to benefit from the proceeds of the 2017 Book Fair. The three chosen are Caesar’s Ford Theatre Co., Dayton Public Radio (“Discover Classical”) and the Artemis Center.
Caesar’s Ford Theatre is a fledgling theatre company based in Fairborn who works to bring Ohio history and literature to outdoor theatre, and to make live theatrical works accessible to all.
Dayton Public Radio is an independent public radio station, existing without the benefit of university funding, and bringing all classical programming to Dayton and its surrounds. While Discover Classical is one of only about 2 dozen all classical public radio stations nationally, it reaches citizens in our community that would otherwise lack the opportunity to discover classical music or experience live performances.
The Artemis Center provides counseling, advocacy and support to battered women and children in the community. In addition to helping people in crisis, Artemis has become a community resource for creating a coordinated response to domestic violence. Because all systems must work together to protect victims and hold batterers accountable, Artemis and the YWCA Dayton joined together to form The Family Violence Collaborative in 1993. This Collaborative has brought together law enforcement, criminal justice, child protection and health care professionals to develop protocols of response.
“We had a tough time choosing this year,” said executive director, Larkin Vonalt. “There were so many excellent applicants and after we winnowed those down to about ten, we spent hours picking the final three.”
In 2016, the Foundation chose FilmDayton, K12 Gallery & TEJAS and the Learning Tree Farm. Each of those organizations was awarded an equal share of the net proceeds from Ohio’s largest used book sale— ten thousand dollars each.
“We hope that this year’s grant will be as much or more,” Vonalt said, “though we are still searching for a new home for the Fair after the closing of the Montgomery Fairgrounds.”
The Book Fair Foundation collects donated books at their offices at 2181 Embury Park Rd in Dayton. You can even call and have them pickup your books if you’re unable to drop them off.Call (937) 999-4491 and they will schedule a time that is convenient for you to pick up your books. They can even bring boxes and pack them if you need help with that.
Each year they sort about 50 tons of books into around sixty different categories which are sold over the second weekend in November at their annual fair. The organization is all-volunteer and is a registered 501c3 charity.
