Chairman of the Las Cruces Annual Book Festival
I hereby would like to express my deepest appreciation for your invaluable support and tireless willingness to lend a listening ear when other fellow organizers and I have come to you for advice and feedback during the planning stages of the Las Cruces Annual Book Festival. I would also like to update you on the progress of the planning activities under my responsibility; that is, publicity campaign, organization of volunteers, and opening and closing receptions.
At this early planning stage my collaborators and I have been able to work out changes and adjustments to accommodate everyone involved. The publicity team is designing the brochures that will describe the festival’s activities and schedules; these brochures will be distributed at the beginning of the festival. The team is also working with KRWG Public Media for Southern New Mexico and Far West Texas to air radio spots announcing the festival. Arrangements for press releases are begin worked out with Las Cruces Sun News. All advertising content will be forwarded to you for feedback and approval prior to being released. Our call for volunteers has been very successful. We have received positive response not only from the student community at NMSU, but also from the local community in general. The training of volunteers will start as soon as the final recruiting process is complete. A pool of substitute volunteers will be drawn in case anyone is unable to volunteer at the last minute. We are still in the process of receiving confirmation from our guest speakers for the opening and closing ceremonies. The guest list for these events is not complete yet as some guests still need to confirm their attendance to these events. Once these confirmations are in place, we can proceed to finalize the catering arrangements. You will be timely updated as these events mature.
As you know, the accumulated funds from last years’ festival plus the generous gifts from members of the community should ensure the operational success of this event. We are working closely with the financial committee on two alternative budgets: one budget contemplates the endowment of a grant from the New Mexico Arts Council. If the grant is approved our total working budget will total up to $200,000.00. News of the Council’s decision should arrive in less than two weeks. The other budget is based solely on the sum of money already available for the festival which as you know, is $125,000.00. Please rest assured that our activities are strictly based on the amount of money already available in the festival’s account. The grant money if received, will allow us to boost a new festival activity which will be offered for the first time this year.
This new activity involves a writing contest for middle and high school students writing stories and poetry in English or in their native language, which in the majority of cases will be Spanish. Many immigrant students in our schools have a wealth of life experiences to offer, but in many cases these stories can only come alive in their native language. Three prizes in the amounts of $600.00, $400.00 and $200.00 respectively will be awarded each in two categories: prose and poetry. Closely related to this activity and if the grant is received, we are considering the addition of lectures on literature in translation. Since this activity involves additional costs, it can easily be eliminated without affecting the overall structure of the festival in case we are not awarded the grant.
In closing, I would like to reassure you that the members of my planning committee are firmly convinced of the benefits this festival brings to the community: It promotes the access of books facilitates the flow of knowledge, contributes to the pleasure of reading and the appreciation of literature,; it also encourages dialog between readers and writers. Our committe will make everything in its power to make this year’s festival a success.
