Bestselling Author Shelley Read Headlines Friends Annual Luncheon
March 13th luncheon and author presentation open to the public
Friends of Jefferson County Public Library and the Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF) are proud to announce Shelley Read as the featured speaker for this year’s Friends Annual Meeting, which is open to the public. The luncheon and presentation will take place Friday, March 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wheat Ridge Rec Center, 4005 Kipling St., in Wheat Ridge.
Read is the author of the international bestselling book Go As A River, which has been translated into 34 languages. The popular book has also earned these awards: Winner of the High Plains Book Award, Reading the West Book Award, and Prix de l’Union Interalliée (France). Set in Colorado, Read’s debut novel is the heartbreaking coming-of-age story of a resilient young woman whose life is changed forever by one chance encounter. The story is filled with love and loss, place and displacement, prejudice and family, wilderness and survival—and hope.
Critics call the book “as beautiful as it is devastating,” (Library Journal), and “a lush tale of female resilience. Evokes the awe-inspiring beauty of the Colorado landscape with affection,” according to the Sunday Times.
Read’s books will be available for sale and signing at the luncheon.
Sponsors for the 2026 Friends Annual Meeting include: Poulos, Somers and Marshall, Dr. Jackie O’Beirne, Foothills Vision Center and the Taurus Fund. This event is also supported by JCLF’s 2026 Friends Community Partners: Denver7, Comcast Internet Essentials, Ent Credit Union, National Laboratory of the Rockies, Rocky Mountain Safety & Security, Confluence Companies, Lakewood Foothills Rotary Club, and Bank of Colorado.
Tickets for Friends members are $35, non-Friends tickets are $45 and attendees can also gain an event ticket and one-year Friends membership for $50. Tickets are available online at www.jeffclf.org, or call 303-403-5075 for details.
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About the Jefferson County Library Foundation
The Jefferson County Library Foundation and Friends of the Library work to support and enrich the capabilities, resources and services of Jefferson County Public Library through fundraising and advocacy efforts that benefit the community. The Friends of Jefferson County Public Library is a county-wide organization dedicated to enhancing the programs and resources of our libraries. For more information, visit www.jeffclf.org.
Cost: $35 for Friends, $45 for non-Friends, $50 for the luncheon and 1-year Friends membership
Location: Wheat Ridge Rec Center
Address: 4005 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Member: Jefferson County Library Foundation
Contact: susan@jeffclf.org
Submitted by: Jo Schantz Hall, MNM, CFRE, GPC