Volunteers' Cookbook Sales Fund New Raue Center Sign

So, just how many cookbooks must one group sell to buy a large, illuminated outdoor sign for the Raue Center for the Arts building?

About 900 books at $20 each – just ask Joyce Dwyer, Verla Wehde, Betty Emery, Virginia Lempa, Kari Siegmeier and Laurie Teator.

One by one, the group of area ladies sold "The Raue Center for the Arts Presents Culinary Show Stoppers Cookbook," a collection of recipes submitted by area residents.

The committee sold the book copies over the past five years at the Farmers Market in downtown Crystal Lake and the holiday seasons, said Richard Kuranda, executive director of the Raue. The books also have been sold at the Raue Box Office, 26 N. Williams St.

Just recently book sales totaled just under the $18,000-mark needed to purchase the lighted sign. The letters were recently hung – quietly and without ceremony - on the back of the Raue building, adding a touch of ambiance to the downtown scene.

“This is really quite a brilliant story,” Kuranda said.

“This is one of the longest fundraising initiatives we’ve had. I cannot stress enough the passion of these volunteers who are all lifelong residents of Crystal Lake and Lakewood. We are just honored and flattered to have them helping us.”

Teator, director of volunteers and special events for the Raue, said more than 500 recipes were gathered from Raue patrons, through word-of-mouth, and from local restaurants including 1776, located at 397 Virginia St., and Le Petit Marche, 19 N. Williams St., both in Crystal Lake.

The cookbook’s chapters are accompanied by photographs of the Raue Center and have stage-related titles such as Dress Rehearsal for beverages and appetizers, Act 1 for pastas and Finale for desserts, Teator said.  

"We purchased 1,000 books to start, and we only have 100 books left," Teator said. "But will be selling them again at the Farmers Market this summer."  

Teator credited Dwyer as the inspiration for the book.

"For years, Joyce was always talking about what we could do to help the Raue," Teator said. "Joyce's husband, Bill, was really instrumental in getting this project going."

, an active community volunteer and advocate for the Raue, died on June 8, 2011, at the age of 83.