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Volunteer Opportunities in July

Volunteers

Happy July, volunteers!

I don’t know about you all, but I feel that June simply flew by! We’re gearing up for an incredible July at the CEL, and there are still a number of open volunteer shifts this month for everyone to get involved:

  • Saturday, 5 July @ 2PM
  • Friday, 11 July @ 10AM
  • Saturday, 12 July @ 2PM
  • Saturday, 19 July @ 2PM
  • Saturday, 26 July @ 2PM

If you can fill any of these shifts, please sign up directly on the Nuudel Poll (https://nuudel.digitalcourage.de/celsummer2025), comment on our CEL Volunteers Facebook page, or reach out to me directly at volunteers@celstuttgart.de.

Thank you for all you do!

Vaihinger Stadfest – Sunday, July 6th

Event, News, Supporters, Volunteers

Dear members,
Now is your chance to help out!
Volunteers are needed to help with our stand at the Vaihinger Stadfest on Sunday, July 6th. We will be offering an easy craft, selling books and cookies, and telling the visitors how great our library is. Volunteers are needed to help set up, man the tent, and take it down.

Please sign up here:

https://nuudel.digitalcourage.de/a4zAI6O77r611C7E

Don’t have time that day? No problem! We also need your cookie baking skills. We’d like to sell prepackaged cookies at our stand at the Vaihinger Stadtfest. Please put 2-3 cookies in a bag and drop off at the library by Saturday, July 5th.

Many thanks,
Laura 
stadtfest@celstuttgart.de

 

Holiday Opening and Vaihinger Stadtfest

News

Dear CEL members and volunteers,

Thanks to everyone who came out to watch a great Stuttgart Reds baseball game last weekend. The team didn’t win the game, but at least the rain didn’t stop the fun!

CEL will again have a stand at the Vaihinger Stadtfest this year. Mark your calendars for Sunday, July 6th. This will be a great opportunity to advertise our library and have some fun at the festival.
Volunteers will be needed! Let us know by replying to this mail if you can help.

The Pentecost school holidays are from Saturday June 7- Sunday June 22.
During this time CEL will only be open  on Friday afternoon 14:30-17:30. (Fridays June 13th and June 20th)

Best wishes and happy reading,
The CEL Board

Library Supporter’s Membership

News

Dear CEL members,  Volunteers, and future Supporters of the CEL,

The CEL now has a Supporter’s of the Library Membership option.
Here is some information about this new way to keep the CEL running and thriving in the future!
Please share with any friends, acquaintances, family, and groups that might be interested in supporting the CEL.

Supporter’s Membership

Become a CEL SupporterThe Children’s English Library e.V. has provided a volunteer run library service and activities for English speaking families in Stuttgart and the surrounding area for over twenty years.

Although none of our team are paid, in recent years the costs of rent, utilities and books have increased considerably.

Our only income is from membership fees and fundraising.

To help keep CEL affordable for families we are reaching out to the wider English-speaking community and asking you to become CEL Supporters. Help us to continue to provide English language books and activities for children in the Stuttgart area.

To become a CEL Supporter, choose from one of three yearly donation rates

  • Bronze: 35 € a year
  • Silver: 50 € a year
  • Gold: 70 € a year

CEL Supporters will receive e-mailed updates on CEL and invitations to annual events e.g.

  • CEL Halloween Party
  • CEL Summer Family Get-Together
  • Adult Events e.g. Book Swap

Apply to become a CEL Supporter and return the Supporter’s Form to CEL today in person, post or email!

Thank you for helping to promote this new way to support our library!

Best wishes and happy reading,

The CEL Board

Spring Clean, Read-a-thon, and CEL family day at the Stuttgart Reds

News

Hello Members, Volunteers, and Supporters of CEL,

Saturday May 10th from 10-12 will be our annual Spring Clean. We would appreciate all of the help we can get to make the library shiny and clean. Coffee and donuts will be provided! Let us know if you can help at Liz.weiser@celstuttgart.de. ✨ 🪣🧼🧹☕️🍩✨

Please join us for the CEL Family Day at the Stuttgart Reds baseball game on Sunday June 1st at 13:00! The cost is 5€ a ticket and under 6 is free! Please make a reservation and pay for your tickets by May 23rd. Payments can be made in cash at the library or by PayPal to johns_liz@hotmail.com (please note the family name). Hope to see you there!

If you participated in this year’s Read-a-thon, don’t forget to return your forms and money to the CEL and get your prize! 🏆📚❤️📚🏆

Best wishes and happy reading!
The CEL Board

Easter holiday hours, renewals, and AGM

News
Dear CEL members and volunteers,

The Easter school holidays are from Saturday April 12- Sunday April 27.  The CEL will only be open during this time on Friday afternoon April 25th.

A reminder, please take note of the date your books are due.  The loan period for books is 4 weeks. We do send out a renewal reminder email but this is only a courtesy.  It is everyone’s responsibility to renew or return their books on time. If you can’t make it back to the library before the renewal date then send a renewal request to renewals@celstuttgart.de.  If you do have overdue fines then please pay them.  These fines help support the library buy new books and keep the lights on.

Thank you to everyone that joined us at the CEL Annual General Meeting.  It was nice to review the work of 2024 and makes plans for the rest of 2025!

Here is a note from Liz Weiser, Chairman of the Board of Directors:
2024 was a very active and successful year at the library. We did more fundraising than ever before. There were so many activities and community events to engage our members and increase community awareness of the CEL.   This was all made possible by an extraordinary board of directors and a dedicated group of volunteers.  Thank you so much to all of our volunteers and all of our board members for giving your time and energy to ensure that the CEL continues to run and operate smoothly and provide a wonderful place for books, reading, crafts, and getting together with other English speakers.  A special thank you to Frances for all of the computer and library management support and for generously giving so much of your time to the library and specifically helping me so much.
The library is a special place and we are lucky to have it. Thank you to all of you for working so hard to ensure the CEL continues to exist for years to come.  We have a lot to look forward to in the coming year at the CEL!

We wish you all a nice Easter break.

The CEL Board

Coming soon: As announced at the AGM we will soon be launching a Supporter’s Membership

Read-a-thon and AGM reminder

Event, News

Dear Members,

The second annual Read-a-thon is approaching! What is a Read-a-thon?
A Read-a-thon is a fundraiser where participants collect donations from family and friends in exchange for a commitment to read (or be read to) during a designated time period.

This is a wonderful way for the library to collect donations to pay for things like books, member events, rent, and more! Last year we raised over 600€ and collectively read over 2,000 minutes!

You can pick up your packets at the library starting Friday, April 4 or find them online here. The read-a-thon will take place over the Easter school holidays between April 19 and April 26. Kids who hand in their worksheets and donations receive a prize!

Our Annual General Meeting is on April 10th at 7:30 pm. We will hold a vote for two changes of our constitution. One is a liability clause and the second is a new Supporters of the Library membership option. The new additions are in the CELSatzung_nderungsvorschlag25.
Please let us know if you will be joining us or send your apologies to info@celstuttgart.de.
Donations of nibbles welcome.

Best wishes,
The CEL Board

CEL News: AGM – Holiday Closing – Open Day

Event, News
Hello Members,
We would like to invite all members to attend our Annual General Meeting on April 10th at 7:30 pm at the library. We will be voting to add a new Library Supporters membership option to our organizational charter in addition to the regular AGM Agenda. After the meeting, there will be time to socialize and exchange books. Drinks will be provided and donations of snacks are gladly accepted. Please RSVP at info@celstuttgart.de.

The Carnival School Holidays begin this Saturday March 1st through Sunday March 9th. During this time, the library will only be open on Friday afternoon March 7th.

We will have a Fantasy themed Open Day at the library on Saturday March 22nd from 1-5 pm. Dress up as your favorite fantasy book character and don’t forget to invite your friends https://www.facebook.com/events/859042906245655! There will be a craft, storytime, activities, and a bake sale!

Best wishes and happy reading,
The CEL Board