STEELE CREEK NEWS
Community Support
Provides Extras for Steele Creek Library
(May
10, 2005) The generosity of the Steele Creek community has provided
extra enhancements to the new Steele Creek Library that has made it
the envy of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg library system.
In spring 2003 the
Steele Creek
Library Association began a drive to collect funds to
supplement those provided by the county. Because of the generosity
of area residents and businesses, the association raised over
$73,000 in cash. Additionally, approximately $20,000 worth of goods and
services were donated.
Because of these funds, the library has been able to purchase items
that will directly benefit library patrons, such as puppets,
computer equipment, and books, as well as less glamorous items that
the staff can use to better serve and manage the library, such as a
ladder and hand truck.
The following is a list of items that the library has obtained as a
result of the Library Association's fund drive:
Wireless internet
access system
Eight computers
TV with DVD player
DVD player
VCR
AV control receiver
In-focus machine
Speakers
Scanner
Karaoke machine
Cassette/CD player
Two garden statues
World globe
Christmas tree and wreaths
Bells
Landscaping for children's garden
A large number of puppets
Several large boxes for puppets
Puppet stand
Two puppet stages
Two animal floor pillows
Storybook characters and books
Bean bags
Scarves for children's department
Baby maracas
Large Cat-in-the-Hat character
Xylophone
Signage throughout the building
Newspaper rack
Variety of books for young adults and adults
Genealogy books
Big books
Recorded books, CDs, and tapes
File cabinet
Large sign holders
Several cork bulletin boards
Paper shredder
Hand truck/dolly
Digital camera
Polaroid camera and film |
Scotch c-27 taping system applicator
Label maker and materials
Garden tools
Two small tables for offices
Laminator and three rolls of paper
Genre labels for young adult area
Rain stick for children's department
Children's safety scissors
Dry erasable board
Medium flannel board
Collapsible flannel board
Parachute
Tabletop easel
Extension cords
Ladder
Large tote bag
Extra Time Warner cable outlet
Mulch for garden and front of building
Toaster oven
Large door mat
Weather radio
Fatigue mats
Shelving
Two fans
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Supporters
contributed to the Library Association's efforts in a variety of
ways.
SouthWood
Corp donated signage that has been placed throughout the
interior and exterior of the building. Located on Westinghouse
Boulevard,
SouthWood specializes in the creation and implementation of
image-conscious signage and graphics.
Crescent
Communities, developer of
The Sanctuary at Lake Wylie, designed and planted the
children's garden specifically to attract birds and butterflies.
Sarah Anderson, the Sanctuary's natural resource manager, used all
native plants in the garden. Library visitors and students from
Southwest Middle School will use the garden as a learning lab.
Anderson will teach kids how to identify birds and other wildlife
and about native gardening.
The Steele Creek
Masonic Lodge donated proceeds from its 2004 Fish Fry and Antique
Car Show to the library fund.
Georganna
Wills organized and managed a used book sale last December that
earned $2,350 for the library. Georganna, her fellow committee
members Jeanne Peak, Beth McKee, and Delores Elliott, and about two
dozen other volunteers collected, sorted, and transported books, as
well as staffed the cash box at the week-long sale.
Donors at
the Library Philanthropist level contributed $5,000 or more.
In addition
to SouthWood Corp, The Sanctuary at Lake Wylie, and Steele Creek
Masonic Lodge #737, the following were Library Philanthropists:
Crosland, Inc.,
developers of Planters Walk, Withers Grove, and Lions Gate
residential communities; Whitehall Commons and Steelecroft shopping
centers; and Whitehall Office/Industrial Park in Steele Creek.
Provident
Development Group, Inc, which developed Huntington Forest on Steele
Creek Road.
Also,
Jack Austin Family
Tammy Cardillo, in Memory of Rev. Grady Faulk
Steele Creek Eastern Star #339
Susan and Al Winget
Lester and Martha Youngblood
Quay and Lucille Youngblood
The Library
Association will maintain an endowment fund and continue to meet
special needs of the library as they arise. Contributions are still
welcome. Please send your tax-deductible donation to the following
address:
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Steele Creek Library Association
PO Box 38218
Charlotte, NC 28278-8218 |
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The Steele Creek Library
Association was formed in 1992 to encourage county officials to
locate a new library in the Steele Creek community and to support
the library's collections and programs. Because of growing
population, the community needed a library closer than the one in
Pineville.
After many hours of meetings with county officials and a fund
raiser, the new library opened in 1994 in temporary space in the
Steele Creek Commons Shopping Center. Plans called for moving to a
permanent location within ten years.
We now are seeing the results of the hard work done by those early
supporters. The ten-year goal was met when our new Steele Creek
Library opened in August 2004. It is located on Steele Creek Road
(Hwy 160) near York Road (Hwy 49) in front of the new Southwest
Middle School. The location is on the site of the old home of Dr.
John Knox, who was a country doctor in Steele Creek from 1880 until
his death in 1911. This home had a very large library. Dr. Knox had
two sons that graduated from Davidson College and two daughters that
graduated from Queens College, and all were avid readers. The new
location couldn’t be more appropriate. The large meeting room in the
library is named the Knox Farm Community Room in the family's honor.
The Steele Creek Library is a major asset to the community. Please
visit it often to take advantage of the library services provided.
Whether you're lounging on the animal floor pillows or pondering a
problem on a computer, you should be aware that the library is very
special in part because of the community support it has received.
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