Dear Friends of Brookstone Schools,
It is with heavy hearts that we send this tribute.
Karen Mello, Brookstone Schools’ first librarian, has gone to be with the Lord. Many know that she was instrumental in founding and growing the library we enjoy today. It all began with just a small box of books.
Early this year, we dedicated our Yearbook to Karen and Jackie Ligon and honored their work.
We have provided the dedication written by Suzanne Wilson below in recognition of their retirement as volunteer librarians in the fall of 2023.
We hope you will be blessed by this email honoring Karen and Jackie.
"How thankful we are for those who have made serving at Brookstone a priority in their lives. No matter what volunteer role they play—as a tutor, classroom helper, or lunch buddy—their presence uplifts children and multiplies the impact of our mission.
Two volunteers in particular, Karen Mello and Jackie Ligon, have been exemplary in this respect. Their Christ-like sacrificial service in building an amazing school library deserves to be honored. Both have been deeply invested since our doors first opened in 2001.
Our start-up might have seemed insignificant to some: two small schools located in needy neighborhoods, one in east Charlotte and the other on the west side. Resources were few: one teacher and classroom at each location. But when Karen and Jackie heard about our mission, right away they wanted to help. To borrow from scripture, they “put their hands to the plow and never looked back”!
Jackie jumped right in to do whatever was needed. Karen had another plan. She started with one box of books, filled a shelf, and then hunted for more. Slowly, one donated book at a time, the collection grew.
Suzanne Wilson and Jackie Ligon in our library
Meanwhile, Brookstone continued to grow and serve more students. By 2005, when our two schools merged into one, it became difficult for Karen to manage everything on her own. That’s when Jackie stepped up to help. Brookstone had a designated library with multiple bookshelves, with each book handpicked for quality and content.
Incredible as it sounds, the library had no computer; book check-out was all done by hand! Eventually, Karen and Jackie taught themselves how to use the web-based Library World to streamline cataloging, barcoding, and book check-out. From that point on, the library program took off! Students had access to a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles including biographies, history, science, geography, art, and holidays.
Karen and Jackie have devoted so much of their lives in service to the children of Brookstone. Their heart has been to make the library visually appealing and fun, bring the magic of books alive, and help kids see books as their friends! Above all, their goal has been to motivate students to love learning and succeed.
What a story—from one insignificant box of books to becoming an outstanding library with over 10,000 books! How grateful we are to Karen and Jackie for their years of sacrificial service. The library is an outstanding achievement. Without diminishing this fact, we must also not lose sight of how God chooses to work through ordinary people to do wondrous things in his world!”
—Suzanne Wilson, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving
Karen Mello
We are so thankful for Karen and her investment in the lives of our students. She leaves a beautiful legacy, having inspired many with the love of reading.
Please keep her family in your prayers. She is with Jesus now, and we look forward to seeing her again.