A special ceremony and presentation is planned this evening at Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library to honor former library director Christine Nofsinger. Nofsinger recently embarked on a 2,611 mile bike ride across the country and raised nearly $10,000 for the library. She will recount her cross-country adventures in a presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The longest-serving director in the history of Marcellus Library, Nofsinger was a vital part of the library’s growth throughout her 26 years there. Over the course of her career, she was responsible for changing nearly everything about the original facility. While the library already offered a children’s story hour, she developed adult programming that now includes education, entertainment, and even yoga. Some of the other changes the library saw under her direction were expanded hours, three remodels, and becoming fully automated.

Nofsinger has been an avid bicyclist for many years, crafting her hobby into a passion. She has made several long-distance treks in the past, including a 400-mile ride along the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany, New York. Her nearly 3,000-mile cross-country bike trip from Florida to California was her first-ever coast-to-coast attempt. 

She and her husband, David, documented the journey through their blog, “Checked Out: Russell Wood Ride 2023,” which refers to Russell Alger Wood — a Marcellus man who left $7,000 in his will for the construction of the Marcellus Library in 1918. The “Russell Wood Ride” became a fundraiser for the library, as well as a celebration of Russell and Nofsinger’s legacies. 

The community participated in Nofsinger’s efforts by donating through the official fundraiser website, Rally Up. Whether fundraising per mile by walking, running, or rowing, donating to other participants, or simply following Nofsinger’s journey and sharing updates, options to support both Nofsinger and the library were plentiful. At the time of publication, the Russell Wood Ride has raised a total of $9,575 — 95% of the original goal of $10,000.

The Marcellus Library welcomes everyone to arrive at 6:15 p.m. where there will be a tree planting ceremony in honor of Nofsinger’s 26 years as Library Director. Following the tree planting will be a presentation by Nofsinger at 6:30 p.m. where she will recount the highs and lows of the trip, as well as share stories of the people she met along the way. 

Beca Welty is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice.