At a bittersweet reception Wednesday evening at the Commerce Public Library, a beloved community figure celebrated 25 years of service.
Residents of Commerce, Georgia lined up to wish 95-year old Claire Gaus good luck for the next chapter of her life. After 25 years living in and serving this Northeast Georgia community, she’ll move to North Carolina to be closer to her son next week.
Gaus, lovingly known as Miss Claire, is a fixture in Commerce, well known for her dedication to the public library, where she started English as a second language programs, organized reading events for children, and raised funds.
She says that her focus on the library was only natural.
“I LOVE LIBRARIES! You’re never alone in a library, you travel in a library. Books are like friends. And you meet the most interesting people here.”
Gaus is also recognizable for a variety of roles she played at holiday events, from the Old Hag at the library’s Halloween party to Mrs. Claus at Commerce’s Christmas parade. In 2022, she won the Charles Beard Advocacy Award from the Georgia Public Library Association.
Angel Abounader, Library Manager at the Commerce Public Library, says Gaus will be deeply missed by the community:
“She’s just one of a kind, and she really will be missed. I know that this is a new chapter of her life, her leaving, but just like she came here 25 years ago, I know that she’ll be starting a new chapter and impacting lives in her new home.”
At the event Wednesday, the Mayor of Commerce presented Gaus with a proclamation commemorating her 25 years in the Jackson County city.
