Miss Brenda left her mark on many

Anyone who has helped a child learn something, anything, recognizes that moment when the light bulb comes on -- that eye-widening instant when the world becomes a little more understood.

Brenda Renner has been part of those moments for more than three decades.

"Miss Brenda" as she's known at Cape Girardeau Public Library has volunteered at the library for 35 years, many of those as youth services assistant. In that capacity, she has led hundreds of storytimes and pointed out thousands of books for young readers. She has guided generations through fiction and nonfiction, history and whodunits.

"When a child comes up and says, 'That book you gave me was wonderful,' you can see the light in their eyes. They clicked with a book, and that's what we're here for," Renner recently told the Southeast Missourian.

With a firm foundation in reading, the youngsters Miss Brenda helped along the way have made their own marks in the world.

"It's amazing what these kids go out and do in the world. I've watched them become marine biologists, dentists, engineers -- they've done it all, and I got to be a part of it," Renner said.

Yes, a part. A big part.

Miss Brenda is retiring after all these years, and the library system and its patrons will miss her.

Reading is a cornerstone of learning, and it fuels critical thinking and the imagination. Thanks to volunteers such as Renner, children around the world develop more roundly and enjoy reading for a lifetime.

We are grateful for Miss Brenda and all those like her who help our children grow, physically and mentally.

Thank Miss Brenda in person at a retirement party from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at the library's Clark Avenue location.