Dear residents and friends of the Town of Union Vale,

 

     I am honored to be President of the Union Vale Library Fund. The letters you see in the pop-up when you enter our site and below are from Ralph and Jean Connor. They reaffirm the Conner’s desire to have the Park serve as the town center and the board’s approval of the library confirms that desire. It is very touching to read how important it was to Jean that the “park would create a sense of community for our town.” As the only town in Dutchess County without a library, the time has come to make it a reality. I would add that books, reading and the collecting of books was a great lifelong interest of the Conners, whom I knew. 

     Importantly, the early history of Tymor Farm includes direct ties to some very successful and famous literary individuals. Jean Connor’s mother, Jean Webster, was the grandniece of Mark Twain (he was her mother’s uncle) and Jean’s father, Charles Webster, was Mark Twain’s publisher. Jean Webster worked for Mark Twain as an editor before she went on to be a successful novelist and playwright herself. Our new library will reflect this important and famous part of Union Vale’s history.

     As a lifelong (starting when I was 10 years old) resident of Clove Valley, I am pleased that the Town Board authorized the library and appointed some wonderful, dedicated residents as trustees. Our community is also fortunate in that a group of residents has offered to take on the task of raising money for our barn to be renovated into a modern efficient library.

Although I am not writing only to espouse the virtues of having a Union Vale library, that is obvious, given everything we know about community participation, education and children’s literacy, I am however, writing to say we are delighted to work with our entire community to finally make Ralph and Jean Connor’s dream a reality. Now comes the hard but the worthwhile work, let’s roll up our sleeves and raise the funds to move the project ahead quickly!

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E. Peter Krulewitch

President,

Union Vale Library Fund, Inc.

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August, 2024