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Marjorie “Marge” Variano

1960 – 2016

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Born in Queens, New York in 1960, Marjorie “Marge” Variano was a fiercely independent soul, a talented and fearless athlete, an activist that bucked society’s status quo, and an unconventional but loving mother of three including Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation board member Stephanie Alger.

Help Stephanie celebrate the life of her mom and
be like Marge.

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BE LIKE MARGE AND…

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support early reading initiatives.

Marge’s lifelong passion for education and literacy was evident in her dedication to young readers. As an elementary school teacher and later a reading specialist, she championed innovative learning approaches to support early literacy. She earned her master’s degree and became a principal within the New York public school system. Long before progressive teaching methods gained widespread acceptance, Marge championed innovative learning approaches. Her final career move, becoming a full-time reading teacher, was a testament to her commitment to help young learners succeed.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size=”small”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_separator][us_counter final=”$60″ align=”left” title=”funds one week of tutoring for a student” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_counter final=”$100″ align=”left” title=”provides a week of Storytime” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_counter final=”$1,000″ align=”left” title=”launches 5 STEM programs for teens” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_btn label=”Give now” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%23donate%22%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row width=”full” height=”auto”][vc_column][us_image image=”16245″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D” scroll_scale=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row width=”full” height=”auto” css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23efeeec%22%7D%7D”][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_separator size=”small”][vc_column_text css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_top_bg%22%2C%22width%22%3A%2275%25%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2225PX%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2210PX%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2210PX%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2210PX%22%7D%7D”]

BE LIKE MARGE AND…

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expand adult programming.

Marge’s career journey took her beyond the classroom, but she still believed passionately that education can happen anywhere and at any age. Marge’s later-in-life paragliding passion reflected her desire to keep learning and growing, and she encouraged others to soar with her. Libraries support adults with programming that encourages discovery and exposure to new experiences.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size=”small”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_separator][us_counter final=”$30″ align=”left” title=”is the average cost of an e-book” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_counter final=”$300″ align=”left” title=”funds one adult education program” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_counter final=”$500″ align=”left” title=”for five portable wifi hotspots for free check-out” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_btn label=”Give now” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%23donate%22%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row width=”full” height=”auto”][vc_column][us_image image=”16246″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D” scroll_translate_y=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row width=”full” height=”auto” css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23efeeec%22%7D%7D”][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_separator size=”small”][vc_column_text css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_top_bg%22%2C%22width%22%3A%2275%25%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2225PX%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2210PX%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2210PX%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2210PX%22%7D%7D”]

BE LIKE MARGE AND…

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drive innovation.

Whether pioneering progressive teaching methods or pursuing her passion for paragliding, innovation was a driving force in Marge’s life. Her dedication to underserved students, including bringing school supplies to children in Colombia, mirrored the kind of impact libraries have through microgrants. Small but powerful grants via the Library Foundation’s Flight Fund enable Library staff to develop creative and impactful programs. Just as Marge pushed boundaries in education, the Library uses microgrants to launch progressive and engaging initiatives to better serve their communities.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size=”small”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][us_separator][us_counter final=”$1,000″ align=”left” title=”stocks an entire shelf at new Main Library” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_counter final=”$1,500″ align=”left” title=”supports an innovative Flight Fund grant” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_counter final=”$2,000″ align=”left” title=”sets up a new WiFi hub at a Library branch” title_tag=”h5″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22text-align%22%3A%22left%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2265px%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22h1%22%2C%22background-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_bg%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22animation-name%22%3A%22afr%22%7D%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][us_btn label=”Give now” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%23donate%22%7D”][us_separator size=”small”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After moving to Charlotte from California to be closer to her grandchild, she returned to teaching and finally landed her dream job as a full-time reading teacher. Tragically, on Thanksgiving Day 2016, just three days before embarking on this new chapter, she passed away in a paragliding accident in La Cumbre Peak, California.

In celebration of a life lived fully,
be like Marge and give generously.

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Tracker updated on Tuesdays and Fridays

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