River Forest Library is the final destination for an elaborate marriage proposal.
On Sunday, February 20, 2022, the Library was fortunate to be part of a very special event. Christopher had planned an ambitious adventure for his girlfriend Allison - that included scavenger hunting, puzzle solving, and exploring - all leading up to the final event of the day at the River Forest Public Library: a marriage proposal for Allison.
Adult and Teen Services Librarian, Brian Wolowitz assisted Christopher to coordinate this elaborate proposal, going above and beyond by keeping the library open late for this special event. The final piece of the scavenger hunt, a photo scrapbook containing the engagement ring, was hidden next to the book Hemingway in Love, located in the nonfiction stacks. Allison was given the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) as a clue to help her locate the book. Fortunately, Brian was on hand to help her find it and once she did, Christopher proposed to Allison in front of our beautiful fireplaces. She said “yes.”
Leading up to the proposal, Allison solved a series of puzzles that guided her to many of her favorite places around Chicago, including the Chicago Cultural Center, her childhood home on Ashland Avenue right here in River Forest, and even a recording studio where she sang with her own backup singers!
Christopher chose the Library as the final spot for his marriage proposal because he knew just how meaningful it was for Allison. As a child, she spent hours reading every Boxcar Children and Baby-Sitters Club book in the library’s collection, she learned to use the card catalog as a Roosevelt Middle Schooler, and she even filed the initial paperwork to launch her company while working upstairs—next to the very same fireplace where she just got engaged.
“Your journey starts here” is the Library’s tagline and it has never been more true. We wish Christopher and Allison a beautiful journey as they take this next step together.
Our guest blog post today is from Francisca Arnold. Francisca is the Marketing Specialist at River Forest Public Library.
