FORTNIGHTLY CLUB PRESENTS $35,000 TO CITY OF BRENHAM FROM BOOK SALE
to the City of Brenham during the club's spring
luncheon on Thursday at the Nancy Carol Roberts
Memorial Library. Pictured are (from left) Susan
Nienstedt, City of Brenham Human Resources
Director; Phyllis Glasscock, Past President for the
Fortnightly Club; Atwood Kenjura, Mayor of
Brenham; Tammy Murphy, City of Brenham
Librarian; Lu Hollander, Past Second Vice President
for the Fortnightly Club; Debbie Schmitz, Past
Treasurer for the Fortnightly Club.
The Fortnightly Club met today (Thursday) to extend support to the City of Brenham and the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library.
During the club’s spring luncheon at the library, members of the club presented city officials with a check for $35,000, representing proceeds from the club’s used book sale held each February at the Washington County Expo. The funding supports the purchase of library materials and technology improvements.
City of Brenham Librarian Tammy Murphy said the city greatly values the Fortnightly Club and its continued contributions toward the library.
Mayor Atwood Kenjura echoed Murphy’s sentiments, saying the city is very grateful and that “we couldn’t do it without you.”
According to Lu Hollander, Past Second Vice President for the Fortnightly Club, there were over 1,700 paid attendees at this year’s book sale and $41,350 in total gross sales, both 20 percent increases from 2025. Thousands of volunteer hours were collectively contributed by the Blinn soccer team, Brenham ISD AVID students, mother/daughter teams from the National Charity League, and the Fortnightly Club’s own “Bookhouse Babes” who clean, price and sort books and categorize donations.
Murphy shared an update on library operations, stating that last year, the library had 51,000 children’s books and 44,000 teen and adult books checked out. The library offered 208 programs and saw approximately 6,200 people participate.
Several events are planned this summer at the library, from various contests and activities to continued celebrations of the library’s 125th anniversary. One special event is a Citizen101 class that will be held on Mondays in June and July starting at 3:30 p.m., where residents of all ages can visit with city departments and learn more about how they function.
Also at the luncheon, the club honored former members who have passed away, installed the 2026-28 board officers and department presidents, and recognized the Volunteer of the Year, Debbie Schmitz.
