The FAPL Board

Board meetings are held at the Book Outlet at 3:00pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Meetings are open to all members. The current board members are:

David Origlio, President
A Denver Colorado native, David has a B.S. in Experimental Psychology and an MBA both earned at Colorado State University.
He has been an avid reader since the third grade when he "discovered" the Hardy Boys. This led to reading 100's of series boys books. The classics took over from there but were liberally mixed with science fiction, detective fiction and many of the best sellers.
While pursuing his original hobby of record collecting (the vinyl kind), he discovered the world of vintage paperbacks. Many of the most popular authors of today started by turning out original fiction for what were then 25 cent paperback books. He has amassed a collection of these numbering in the thousands over the past 30 years and now spends many quiet hours reading the best of them. David has been haunting the Book Outlet for many years and recently became President of the Friends of the Aurora Public Library.
Thirty plus years in the hospitality industry have taken him to cities all over the U.S. He and his wife Jackie love to travel the blue highways and do so while they pursue their dual hobbies of bird watching and book collecting. They have searched for books and birds in 49 of the 50 states. He has yet to visit Hawaii but has picked up a few gems in Great Britain and Peru.
David is the father of one son who works with Frontier Airlines. He does NOT collect books. He doesn't need to.

Betty Jean Bahr, Historian
Betty has been a volunteer of the Friends of the Library since 2002. She has lived in Aurora since 1964 when her Air Force husband was transferred to Lowry Air Force Base from Illinois. A native of west Texas, Betty has always been an avid reader and is very interested in the history of the old West. She has a personal library of over 7000 books, the majority of which pertain to the American west. She is also a quilter, and is currently involved in quilting several quilt tops make by her Mother and Grandmother. Betty is the Mother of 3 children , and has three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Carol Grams, Secretary
I was born in Philadelphia, PA. Attended Kutztown State Teachers College and Syracuse University. Served as a Jr-Sr High School Librarian for 3 1/2 years outside of Reading, PA. Moved to Colorado in 1966 and worked as a high school librarian at Cherry Creek HIgh School ('66-74) and Smoky Hill (74-96). I was privileged to teach for one year in 1995 in Perth, Western Australia, where I taught Social Studies and worked in the library.
I retired in June of 1996. For the next five years I was a Substitute Reference Librarian for the Arapahoe Library District. My retirement also marked the beginning of a long list of volunteer work which now includes organizing games and creating biographies of the residents at the Christian Living Center, serving as an administrative assistant at the Diana Price-Fish Cancer Foundation, helping teachers at Polton Elementary School and - of course - the Book Outlet. I am an active member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary sorority for women educators and an avid tennis player (with a mean serve). I enjoy reading, cross-stitch, playing the piano, taking tap dance lessons, hosting game parties, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles and cats. (I have three)

Keith McGechie, Treasurer
Keith, a lifetime Colorado resident, has lived in Aurora for 35 years. He has been a volunteer for the Friends for four years. As an avid reader his interests cover a multitude of subjects. In 1999 he retired from a career with the Colorado Judicial Department where he served as a probation officer, supervisor, and trainer for over 30 years with the Denver District Court. He is an inductee into the Colorado State Soccer Association Hall of Fame and he served that organization's 5000 members as president and board member for over 20 years. He was the National Rules Commissioner for U.S. Soccer for four years. In retirement he travels with his wife of 35 years enjoying time with his three children and three grandchildren.

Gail Arnert, Volunteer Coordinator
Although not particularly fond of cooking, Gail has a B.S. in Home Economics from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA. Originally from Ohio, with a 19 year stopover in California, Gail came to Colorado in 1978 when Martin Marietta made her an offer she couldn't refuse. She was an Industrial Security Manager and retired after 36 years in aerospace in March 2006. She has been a Book Outlet volunteer since Jan 2006. Always an avid reader she has a library of over 2000 books covering all genres with an emphasis in mystery, history and genealogy. She's also a genealogist, "collecting dead relatives" in America back to the 1600s on some of her lines, and getting lost in Germany because that old German is really hard to decipher. She's active in several genealogy societies. While a member and officer of the now defunct Colorado Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society she compiled two volumes of the society's bi-annual publication "Ohio to Colorado, Abstracts of Obituaries of Ohio Natives Published in Colorado Newspapers". She is the mother of two wonderful sons, and patiently awaiting the arrival of grandchildren.

Jackie Pritts, Bookstore Manager
After living in several midwest states, Jackie's parents, 2 sisters and 3 brothers moved to Denver the summer she was 12 years old.
She was always an avid reader - in fact it was while reading the Cherry Ames books that she decided she wanted to be a nurse. After graduating from the University of Colorado she began her nursing career on an infant and toddler unit at Colorado General Hospital (now University Hospital). She spent 30 years in Pediatrics, the last 22 years as a Nurse Manager on a Pediatric Research Unit at University Hospital and then The Children's Hospital after the Pediatric programs merged. During this time Jackie married, had two wonderful daughters, divorced her first husband and met and married her soul mate. Jackie and her husband Don loved reading, traveling, kids, grandkids and just being at home together. After taking an early retirement, Jackie and her husband enjoyed 4 years of doing "whatever" they wanted. Unfortunately, Don was diagnosed with cancer and passed away two years ago.
Jackie loves spending time with her daughters, son-in-laws and four grandchildren. She also has two "boys" K.C. and Scooter who are good companions and announce anyone who comes within 100 feet of the house.
Jackie has been a volunteer at the Book Outlet since May, 2006 and loves it. Since she didn't know the store existed two years ago, it's apparent there is a need to get the word out to book lovers!

Mary K. Thayer, Membership Chairman
After living in several states throughout her military career, Mary and her husband were stationed in Denver in 1978. After Mary’s husband left the Military in 1979, they decided that this is where they wanted to call home. Mary spent 8 years in the Air Force before deciding to leave in 1976 and raise their son Robert. After staying home with a very ill child, Mary decided it was time to begin her work career again to help defray medical costs. At which time, Mary starting working for Arapahoe County Department of Social Services. After a year their she was transferred to Adams County Department of Social Services. After a year there she was transferred to the State of Colorado, Department of Human Services. Mary’s career with the State spanned 30 years where she retired as the Chief Financial Officer, Central District for the Department of Human Services in December of 2002. Always an avid reader she has a library of over 2400 books covering all genres with an emphasis in fiction, history and genealogy. She's also a genealogist, "collecting dead relatives" in America back to the 1800s on some of her lines, and getting several members back into Germany. She's active in several genealogy societies. Mary and her husband Art love reading, traveling, camping, and just being at home together. Mary has been a volunteer at the Book Outlet since October, 2005 and loves it.

Diane Long, Collection Development
Diane Long has worked for the Aurora Public Library for 21 years, the last 15 as Collection Development Coordinator. This position oversees the purchase of books, videos, and other material for the library system. She also schedules authors for Prose and Poetry Night, held at ESteamers coffeehouse. In her spare time, Diane enjoys reading, rubber stamping greeting cards, and playing the piano.

Kathy Groth, Surplus Distributor
Kathy began her career with FAPL when she was Chairman of the APL Board of Trustees and had two tiny children. The idea was to have board members help in the bookstore. Distribution of surplus books fit better into Kathy's (lack of) schedule,and fit with her almost pathological need to find a home for every homely, tattered volume. Through contacts and activities all over metro Denver, Kathy has developed many recipients who are delighted to give the surplus books a new life.
She grew up in Iowa and Nebraska, earned a BA in Literature from Rockford College, married Mark Groth in 1973 and has two children, Chris and Jessie, who are routinely drafted for FAPL projects.. Mark and Kathy have lived in the area since 1976. The current house was too big at first, but has filled out nicely with the 6,000 books they have accumulated.

Patti Bateman, Library Liaison
Patti Bateman, an Aurora Public Library employee since 1977, is APL's Library Services Manager over all aspects of library operations from behind-the-scenes work in Collection Development and Cataloging & Processing to direct services for the public (such as reference, children's programming, homebound, checking in & out library materials, outreach, stamping out "brush fires," and more). Patti was Chair of the Legislative Committee for the Colorado Association of Libraries for four years and is very active in the statewide library professional organization's activities [Colorado Association of Libraries, or CAL].
For fun, Patti and husband Kirk like to travel almost anywhere. In her 'spare' time, Patti & her German Shepherd "Cruiser" are regular volunteers for the Aurora Library's award-winning child literacy program "Wagging Tales," working on various certifications to do more team volunteer activities, and co-existing with 3 hyper-active (!!!) Italian Greyhounds. Life is busy and exciting. :-)

Diana Payne, Library Board Representative
Diana was born and raised in the Phoenix, Arizona area. She is married with two children ages 13 and 11. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and received B.A. in Japanese Language and literature in 1974. She attended law school at the University of Denver and received Juris Doctorate in 1982, and was admitted to the bar in Colorado in 1983. She teaches the Japanese martial art of Naginata in which she holds the rank of Yondan.
Diana is a partner and shareholder in the Aurora, Colorado law firm of Beck and Cassinis, P.C. where she has practiced law since August of 1984. Diana is a member of the Arapahoe County and Colorado Bar Associations and President of the Rotary Club of Aurora Gateway, 2003-2004.

Menu

The FAPL Board