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Stanley Park in Tsawwassen for marathon reading event

As a lifelong reader, book collector and bibliographer, John Meier understands the importance of literature.
john meier
Friends of the Fraser Valley Regional Library director John Meier is hosting a Marathon Reading fundraiser at the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall on Saturday, Sept. 7.

As a lifelong reader, book collector and bibliographer, John Meier understands the importance of literature.

His love of the written word is also why in the past year the long-standing South Delta resident and volunteer became a director for the Friends of the Fraser Valley Regional Library.

“I always wanted to get involved with them – books have been such an important part of my life,” said Meier. “I went to this meeting last year and said I would love to help you raise some money for the library, so I got involved with them and proposed the idea of a reading marathon.”

Meier will host a Marathon Reading of Timothy Taylor’s Stanley Park Saturday, Sept. 7 starting at 10 a.m. in the breezeway of Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall. Everyone is encouraged to participate by taking turns reading from this best-selling novel for 15-minute periods.

The event will continue as long as there are participants willing to read.

Taylor is a good friend and Meier hopes he will also attend and read from his book.

“I originally developed this for my literary non-profit foundation a few years ago,” said Meier. “I did two in Vancouver and they were very successful. The first one was reading George Bowering’s Burning Water (a novelization of George Vancouver’s exploration of the West Coast of B.C.). We did this in the middle of Granville Street between Robson and West Georgia. Bowering attended and read from his novel. It was a very successful day.”

Meier is hoping that Saturday’s event will be just as successful.

“When I first developed this concept it was really just to introduce great literature to the street,” he said. “I’ll start reading and then someone else takes over for another 15 minutes. It was incredible. People loved it, so I thought why not resurrect this here in South Delta and help raise some money for the library. I’m hoping this will become an annual event.”

Meier said he chose Stanley Park for several reasons.

“It’s very much a Vancouver novel. I think the prose is brilliant, it’s a great story,” he said.

The Marathon Reading is being sponsored by Bria Communities, where Meier works, as well as Century Group and the Chocolate Bear Shoppe.

“I just want to help out my community. The libraries are so vital and important to our communities and every bit of funding helps them continue to offer the great programs and services that so many of us enjoy,” he said.