Who We Are
Six years ago Buena area orchardists, farmers, farm workers, and community leaders gathered to save the library, which was in danger of closing due to lack of space and a permanent location.
Friends of Buena Library
The group formed Friends of Buena Library (FoBL), a non profit, volunteer organization, fixed up a donated trailer, and secured funding to purchase the one-half acre it occupies. The group's objective is to build and operate a new, safe and comfortable library and community center and revitalize the community. FoBL believes that literacy and education have the power to raise expectations, nurture dreams, and enhance life-lifting opportunities.
Capital Campaign
The purpose of the Friends of Buena Library's Capital Campaign is to raise funds for construction of a permanent building. The Capital Campaign seeks financial contributions and donations solely for this construction project. The total Capital Campaign objective is $800,000. Check "Our Goal – Our Progress" to see how we are doing.
There are many components to the Capital Campaign. These include gifts from FoBL Board members, grants from charitable, educational and corporate organizations, donations from community members and local business owners, gifts from library users and supporters from beyond the Yakima Valley, and grassroots fundraising projects by Buena youth (including a coin-drop piggy bank in the library) and the Hispanic community. A separate project involves annual fundraising to support the regular operating and maintenance costs of the Buena Library.
The Capital Campaign is Co-Chaired by Sid Morrison and Carlos Olivares.
Sid Morrison
Born in the Yakima Valley (May 13, 1933), Sidney Wallace Morrison attended Toppenish public schools and Yakima Valley College (1951); earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture from Washington State University in 1954; and served in the United States Army, enlisted. He was actively involved in the management of Morrison Fruit Company from 1956 through 1980.
Committed to public service, Mr. Morrison served as a representative in the Washington State Legislature from 1967-73 and as a senator from 1974-80. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the 4th Congressional District in 1980, serving until 1992. Returning to Washington State, Mr. Morrison was appointed Secretary of Transportation from 1993 through 2001.
In retirement, Sid Morrison, a resident of Zillah, Washington, serves on the executive board of Energy-Northwest (power producer utilizing a 1200 megawatt nuclear plant, hydro projects, wind farms, solar systems, and bio-mass conversion); chairs Yakima Basin Storage Alliance; serves as vice president of the Rainier Institute (a Seattle-based think tank, founded with Booth Gardner); chairs the board of the Tri-Cities Local Business Association; is treasurer of the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima; and sits on the boards of directors of Federal Engineers and Constructors and Mainstream Republicans of Washington. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University. In addition, Mr. Morrison is a Friends of Buena Library board member and co-chairs the Capital Campaign.
Carlos Olivares
When Juan Carlos Olivares took over as executive director of the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in 1986, the organization had about 150 employees working at small clinics in Toppenish, Grandview and Cowiche. Today, more than 25 years after it was founded in 1978, the Farm Workers Clinic has over 1,200 employees providing medical, dental, mental health and social services at 22 facilities in Washington and Oregon.
Carlos grew up in La Paz, Bolivia, and graduated from Pepperdine University in California. Prior to coming to the Yakima area, he served in various administrative positions at health centers in California. Over the years he has gained a reputation as being a respected voice for people who lack access to quality healthcare. He is a founding board member of Community Health Plan of Washington, an agency that administers state-subsidized medical insurance for over 200,000 patients. He is also a founding member and chairman of the board of Adaptis, a company with offices in Seattle and Yakima that provides computerized tracking of health insurance plans. In 2003, he was honored by the Washington Health Foundation as the recipient of the Heroes of Healthcare Award for Leadership.
In addition, Carlos serves on the boards of Heritage University, the Central Washington State Fair Association and the Memorial Foundation. He also co-chairs the Capital Campaign for the Friends of Buena Library.