Nov. 25, 2020
Dear Readers: Turning Hope Into Reality
On June 14, merely six months ago, a team of 10 eager volunteers unloaded the entire contents of Whitefield Library into a 40′ storage unit in order to “gut” down to its bare skeleton the 1st floor of our two-story building. Now, six months later, we are about to reverse the process and bring those contents back into our totally reconstructed space. Despite all the anxiety from jumping into unfamiliar territory, our hopeful vision has remained intact. Our goal is to reopen our little community library in the Spring of 2021.
All of this (new structural supports and draft stops which will allow us public access use of our beautiful 2nd floor community space in the very near future, new wiring and plumbing, 5″ insulation placed within the 1st floor walls and ceilings, new propane heater for the main room, freshly installed and painted drywall throughout, new tight fitting exit doors with glass panes to allow more sunlight, restored wainscot, trim, post, beams, and interior doors, and before the final “move-in” day, newly painted floors) has become an example of hopeful determination during difficult times. Surrounded by many personal stories of loss and sadness during these past 11 months, this “project” continues to unfold quite amazingly, one day at a time. Volunteers show up with paint brushes, chisels, hammers, and most importantly, know-how. The sun decides to shine on the day the insulation arrives. A boom truck pulls in just as we start to offload sheetrock by hand/one piece at a time. Just when the last amount of money in our budget gets divied out, a check arrives and propels us with excitement into the next piece of renovation that needs to be addressed. The message is clear; keep going!
We all ache for our lives to be “normal” again; our sadness to end, our jobs and pay checks to return, our families and friends to gather, our children to feel safe throughout a “no-mask” day…and it will happen, as it has before. Our pieces will be put back together again, and maybe even built stronger than before. Just as this old yellow building is feeling new life, we also wish the same for our community. Throughout the winter, our eyes and efforts will be focused on what we hope to see in the springtime. We’ll be preparing to reopen! Books on the new shelves, Internet at our access, inviting seating nooks for friends to chat, enchanting and enriching children’s area for wee ones to sprawl, clean and compact kitchenette, bathroom, and a real office for maintaining “library”! Keeping this hopeful vision in mind will help to make our winter work fly by!
We remain extremely grateful to everyone who has helped us. Our list is long! While attempting to keep our distance, wearing our masks, and sanitizing doorknobs, our reliable volunteer labor has saved us over $35,000. Our conscientious contractors (who have been unbelievable to work with) have all respected our “retired” ages and used unprecedented precautions, as well. This young working generation leaves us with much respect. Donations continue to come in; large and small…thankfully, they haven’t forgotten us! And…grant foundations have awarded us with grand amounts that acknowledge that our goal for a community library is on the right track.
We know that Whitefield Library & Community Center has a long way to go before we are totally in the place that we aim to be, but if these past six months show us anything, it’s that dedication, patience, and cooperation make the journey so much easier. In a year’s time, our exterior face will be so much more pleasant to look at, as well. Be patient, our old yellow siding will refresh, our historic roadside look will reappear, and our parking lot will be used for visitors rather than storage trailers. Once the cloud of COVID has past us by, we will anxiously greet our community of patrons and visitors in our old/new space!
A little reminder: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain” (Vivian Greene). With all our best regards, we hope you keep “the dance” until we serve you again.
The Whitefield Library & Community Center Volunteers