The family of Sandy Wehking extends our heartfelt appreciation to the many individuals and organizations whose support, dedication, and generosity made the Carlyle Grade School Sandy Wehking Reading Center and Johnny Appleseed Room a reality.
    What began as a dream to honor Sandy's 35 years of inspiring young readers and learners has become a lasting gift to the students of Carlyle and a source of pride for Carlyle Grade School. We are profoundly grateful to everyone who embraced this vision and worked tirelessly to bring it to life.
    If ever there was proof that a small group of determined women can change the world, it is found in Patti Tate, JoAnn Langham, Cindi Weathers, and Kelly Price. What began as a conversation and a hope grew, through their energy and dedication, into something larger and more beautiful than we ever dreamed possible.
    They didn't simply support this project. They championed it. They nurtured it, envisioned it, promoted it, and willed it into existence. Their combined talents, creativity, and persistence turned an idea into a lasting legacy.
    To say these women are a force of nature hardly seems sufficient. They are the kind of people who see what is possible and then roll up their sleeves and make it happen. We are deeply blessed to call them friends, and endlessly grateful for the love, effort, and heart they invested in honoring Sandy's legacy. Their fingerprints will forever be found on every corner of the Reading Center and Johnny Appleseed Room and in every child whose imagination takes flight there.
    We also extend our sincere appreciation to Sharon Fauke, School Secretary, Lindsay Fark, Principal, Annie Gray, Superintendent, Carlyle Community Unit School District #1 Board of Education and the Johnny Appleseed Society and Museum for their encouragement, leadership, and support throughout the project.
    The Sandy Wehking Reading Center would never have become a reality without the extraordinary generosity of teachers, staff, parents, former students, community members, businesses, organizations, friends, and family members who believed in this vision and opened their hearts and wallets to support it.
    Every gift, large or small, mattered. Every dollar donated was carefully and thoughtfully poured back into the project, helping transform a dream into a beautiful space where children will discover the joy of reading for years to come. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed and helped create a lasting tribute to Sandy's life and legacy.
    The Sandy Wehking Reading Center stands as a celebration of Sandy's legacy and of a community that believes in the power of education, kindness, and opportunity for children.
    Thank you for helping ensure that generations of students will discover the joy of reading in a place created with love.
    If you are able to read this letter, thank a teacher. 
    With heartfelt gratitude,
    The family of Sandy Wehking
    "A great teacher leaves a mark not only on her students, but on an entire community. Sandy's story will continue to be told through every child who opens a book in the Sandy Wehking Reading Center."
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