Thousands of non-profit organizations registered to win the TODAY SHOW book in a national drawing but when the winner was announced it was the Ritter Memorial Library in little Lunenburg, Mass. that took home the big prize.
Debra Chapdelaine, chairman of the library Board of Trustees, had entered the library in the national drawing. They got word that they had won the book the same week that a huge turnout of the town’s citizens had voted 2 to 1 to approve funding for a new library building. It was a triumphant week for the library.
The giant autograph book contains hundreds of signatures, sketches, and souvenirs from every guest who appeared on the popular TODAY SHOW in 2002. The book was presented to the library on January 3, 2004.
The TODAY SHOW auctioned the coveted Green Room Book on eBay with the proceeds going to charity. Top bidder was Nashville philanthropist and founder of Thrillionaires, Ruth Ann Harnisch. When she appeared on the TODAY SHOW to present her check for $27,100 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, she surprised Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Ann Curry by announcing that she wasn’t going to keep the book. She wanted the book to raise even more money for charity and gave every nonprofit in America a chance to win the book in a random drawing.
She turned the book over to More Than Money, a national nonprofit headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Members of More Than Money are trying to change the way society thinks about the purposes of money. In this affluent society members ask, “What is money for?”
“We’re so excited to get the book,” said Debra Chapdelaine, serving her third term on the library board. “Of course, we’re going to put it on display for a while. Then we’ll decide how we’ll use it to raise money, and whatever it brings in will help take the burden off the taxpayers. We have it on display and every few days we change the pages so people can see all of the signatures.”
Ritter Memorial Library, built in 1910, has only seven parking spaces for a population nearing 10,000. A recent referendum provided crucial support. The library will break ground for its new building in August.