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Just a few years ago our community was greatly improved by the construction of a new hospital and the satellite campus of Arkansas State University. We followed this with our new community center and the state of the art sports complex west of town. Like so many great improvements much of this now is taken for granted. I cannot envision our community without any of these vibrant additions.
We now have an opportunity to proudly add to these accomplishments by constructing a new state of the art Cleburne County Library. Many of you have been exposed to this exciting proposal as the committee has been presenting the library plans and dreams to many organizations and individuals.
This new proposed library should fit nicely into the basket of needs and wants for Cleburne County. It supplements ASU, Baptist Hospital, the Community Center and the Sports Complex. It would properly recognize that education and the opportunity for further education is a must for our local citizens.
Our current library is beyond full capacity. The average annual checkouts of nearly 120,000 demands additional space and infrastructure capacity. The new library will triple the computers and the available space for wifi users. Each time that I have visited the library every computer station was occupied and others were waiting their turn. There is absolutely no doubt the need is there. It will not be necessary to train our citizenry to use the expanded capacity.
An exciting part of this proposed library is the plans for increasing the children’s programs with a separate children’s library area with computers and other technology driven learning material. The library board and the librarian want to instigate regular summer programs. The facility today simply has insufficient space. Why shouldn’t our students in this community have an opportunity to continue their education in these hot summer months? In many countries regular structured classes are conducted throughout the year with no three month summer vacation. Decades ago our youth, in an agrarian society, were needed in the summer for agriculture work. While this summer vacation tradition won’t soon be changed, we can help our youth in a competitive world by offering programs in summer months.
The funding drive was initiated by a major donation from one of my old golfing buddies, Jack Wold. His wife, the late Mary Wold, was a long time supporter and advocate for the library in Cleburne County. Our first exposure to Mary Wold was a telephone call from her in 1984. We were living in New York City at the time and we responded to her request for library support. It was impressive that she would locate us living in New York from information that we had just built a home in this county. That is the kind of dedication and tenacity that Mary exhibited in her passion to improve the library in this community. Mary Wold would indeed be pleased and delighted with this new facility which will bear her name.
The funding drive is making great progress. Currently about 1.7 millions dollars has been raised toward a total needed of 2.5 million. As a conservative I am especially pleased this construction will be completed with no new taxes of any kind. The bulk of this money is being raised from individuals, organizations and corporations with only a minimum coming from state and federal grants. This should be important to all of us. We can prove once again our community will respond to a need that is worthy and beneficial.
For many of us it is difficult to contribute a significant amount for any project or cause if the total amount is payable immediately. To solve this hurdle your pledge can be made in installments over as much as a five year period.
Libby and I are making our pledge on the installment basis because each year there is a number of causes that we want to continue to support. It would be ideal to have 2.5 million dollars available before construction starts but this isn’t feasible if we want to take advantage of some large generous contributions that have already been pledged.
The group spearheading this drive is offering opportunities for your name to be affixed to rooms or equipment or furniture if you so desire. These naming elements range all the way to naming the east wing for $250,000 to bricks at $250. A number of rooms, desks, computer chairs and even trees have already been chosen but several items are left for your consideration.
As mentioned earlier, about 70 percent of the needed amount has been promised due to the diligent work of the funding committee. It would be a tragedy to lose the committed amount lacking only an additional 800 thousand dollars to raise. I feel sure those of you who have not yet responded will do so and add another chapter of community achievement.
(Jerry Jackson of Heber Springs writes his “conservative viewpoint” column each Wednesday)
Just a few years ago our community was greatly improved by the construction of a new hospital and the satellite campus of Arkansas State University. We followed this with our new community center and the state of the art sports complex west of town. Like so many great improvements much of this now is taken for granted. I cannot envision our community without any of these vibrant additions.
We now have an opportunity to proudly add to these accomplishments by constructing a new state of the art Cleburne County Library. Many of you have been exposed to this exciting proposal as the committee has been presenting the library plans and dreams to many organizations and individuals.
This new proposed library should fit nicely into the basket of needs and wants for Cleburne County. It supplements ASU, Baptist Hospital, the Community Center and the Sports Complex. It would properly recognize that education and the opportunity for further education is a must for our local citizens.
Our current library is beyond full capacity. The average annual checkouts of nearly 120,000 demands additional space and infrastructure capacity. The new library will triple the computers and the available space for wifi users. Each time that I have visited the library every computer station was occupied and others were waiting their turn. There is absolutely no doubt the need is there. It will not be necessary to train our citizenry to use the expanded capacity.
An exciting part of this proposed library is the plans for increasing the children’s programs with a separate children’s library area with computers and other technology driven learning material. The library board and the librarian want to instigate regular summer programs. The facility today simply has insufficient space. Why shouldn’t our students in this community have an opportunity to continue their education in these hot summer months? In many countries regular structured classes are conducted throughout the year with no three month summer vacation. Decades ago our youth, in an agrarian society, were needed in the summer for agriculture work. While this summer vacation tradition won’t soon be changed, we can help our youth in a competitive world by offering programs in summer months.
The funding drive was initiated by a major donation from one of my old golfing buddies, Jack Wold. His wife, the late Mary Wold, was a long time supporter and advocate for the library in Cleburne County. Our first exposure to Mary Wold was a telephone call from her in 1984. We were living in New York City at the time and we responded to her request for library support. It was impressive that she would locate us living in New York from information that we had just built a home in this county. That is the kind of dedication and tenacity that Mary exhibited in her passion to improve the library in this community. Mary Wold would indeed be pleased and delighted with this new facility which will bear her name.
The funding drive is making great progress. Currently about 1.7 millions dollars has been raised toward a total needed of 2.5 million. As a conservative I am especially pleased this construction will be completed with no new taxes of any kind. The bulk of this money is being raised from individuals, organizations and corporations with only a minimum coming from state and federal grants. This should be important to all of us. We can prove once again our community will respond to a need that is worthy and beneficial.
For many of us it is difficult to contribute a significant amount for any project or cause if the total amount is payable immediately. To solve this hurdle your pledge can be made in installments over as much as a five year period.
Libby and I are making our pledge on the installment basis because each year there is a number of causes that we want to continue to support. It would be ideal to have 2.5 million dollars available before construction starts but this isn’t feasible if we want to take advantage of some large generous contributions that have already been pledged.
The group spearheading this drive is offering opportunities for your name to be affixed to rooms or equipment or furniture if you so desire. These naming elements range all the way to naming the east wing for $250,000 to bricks at $250. A number of rooms, desks, computer chairs and even trees have already been chosen but several items are left for your consideration.
As mentioned earlier, about 70 percent of the needed amount has been promised due to the diligent work of the funding committee. It would be a tragedy to lose the committed amount lacking only an additional 800 thousand dollars to raise. I feel sure those of you who have not yet responded will do so and add another chapter of community achievement.
(Jerry Jackson of Heber Springs writes his “conservative viewpoint” column each Wednesday)
