Public libraries help build healthy communities and increase the sense of belonging. In Slave Lake, the Rotary Club of Slake Lake Public Library has long been known as a community hub and a place that all citizens can go to learn, relax, engage and enjoy.
“We operate with the goal of keeping the library as a central community organization and location in mind. Libraries evolve quickly and maintain relevance in our fast paced, ever-changing society,” says Kendra McRee, Library Manager.
The library’s evolution has been aided over the past few years by an endowment fund established with the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta.
In 2014, the library received a sizeable donation from one of its longtime patrons and strong supporter, Spike McCullough, who had passed away. The donation specified that the library begin an endowment fund so that the gift would be appreciated for many years to come.
“We realized that having an endowment fund is a great fit for our organization,” says McRee. “It allows us to see benefits for not only our organization, but for other community organizations in our region.”
The endowment fund has allowed the library to access an annual grant to broaden and enrich its collection, ranging from books, movies, e-resources, a toy library, computers, video games, audio books and much more.
“Making sure that our collection is as current and relevant as possible is of great benefit to the community,” says McRee.
Recently, the grant monies were used to partner with Slave Lake Adult Education on the Helping Your Child Succeed Family Literacy Program. The program offered parents a greater awareness of the impact of early literacy on child development in a setting where parents and children learned together.
“It gave me fresh ideas to try with my children, to learn what I can to help my child succeed,” says one parent who took part.
Serving all citizens from every demographic, the Rotary Club of Slave Lake Public Library will continue to evolve thanks in part to the endowment fund created with the Community Foundation.
“We believe that anyone who uses our library is expanding and enriching their life,” says McRee. “The ongoing grants that we receive from the Community Foundation will allow us to continue to reach our goals and objectives and better serve our community members.”
You can make a difference in our community – not only for today but forever. When you make a donation to the Slave Lake Municipal Library Fund, we invest that gift into a permanent endowment fund and the original gift is never spent. Earnings from your gift are distributed to the Slave Lake Municipal Library to support their needs in the community. Donations can be made online here https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/41173 or by calling the Community Foundation at (780) 538-2820.
