The architect’s rendering of the new Kimball Public Library building, to be built on the corner of Spruce Avenue and Elm Street, roughly between Dingmann Funeral Care on Highway 15 and the high school. The city of Kimball has already purchased the land, and $400,000 is needed this month in donations and pledges to apply for a matching grant to build it. View more plans and a fly-through of the building, and make a donation, at www.kimball-library.org.
With three weeks to go, the campaign for the Kimball Public Library is more than 80 percent to goal and finishing strong.
Pumpkin Palooza, Penny Wars, football game announcements, hamburger stands and fish fries – oh my! These events benefitting the new Kimball library building have created a contagious and “we can do it” enthusiasm in the final weeks of the campaign fundraising. Nearly 140 individuals and organizations have made a pledge or donated to the project. Whether $5 or $5,000, every gift is important and is making a difference in reaching the community’s local one-to-one match of $400,000. To date, more than $326,000 has been raised.
“Kimball’s library is beloved,” said Barb Pladson, founding president of the Kimball Area Friends of the Library and Kimball Library Building Task Force member. “We have been delighted with the gifts we have received in the last few weeks and since the project was publicly announced in July. We know people are inspiring people to contribute and help make a new library in Kimball a reality.”
The fundraising team has been meeting weekly and reaching out to as many businesses, individuals and families as possible to make sure everyone is included in this historic project that will serve all. Efforts include phone calls, visits, presentations, ads in the newspaper, social media, and a targeted letter to families.
Inspired by donors who have already stepped forward to make a gift in honor of their family, the task force is trying to reach as many families as possible to offer them an opportunity to create their own family legacy by donating to the campaign for the Kimball Public Library in the amount of $1,000 or more. At or above this level, a family will be included in the new Kimball Public Library Wall of Honor, and their leadership will be recognized for generations to come.
Here are a few examples of families coming forward to honor their loved ones who have been part of the community, who love books and who love the library.
• A group of siblings making a gift in honor of their living parents for a Christmas gift.
• A family remembering their departed parents by making a gift in their memory.
• A couple giving a gift in the names of their book-loving children.
Whether each contribution is made by one person, a couple, or by an extended family, these donations and pledges will memorialize and honor the legacies of their loved ones. Each family taking its place on our Wall of Honor is demonstrating its commitment to not only the present generation, but also to future generations.
“I hope the children of Kimball and their families will be fortunate enough to have their Iives enriched by a new library tailored to the needs of this technological age,” said Pladson. “Please join us before Oct. 19 so your gift or pledge counts towards a Minnesota Department of Education Library Construction one-to-one matching grant.”
The Kimball Public Library Task Force was formed in 2017 to address the library space needs and requirements and has worked to develop a building and fundraising plan for a new 4,200 square-foot library at the corner of Spruce Avenue and Elm Street in downtown Kimball. Plans were publicly unveiled in July 2018. To see the plans or make a donation, go to www.kimball-library.org, or stop by the Kimball Area Public Library. Envelopes and forms can also be picked up at Harvest Bank. To contact the task force, email kimballlibrarybuildingtaskforce@gmail.com.