Susie and Mike McIntosh from Total Move Management donated their services to move the books from our 3 branches to the new building. Their crew packed and moved hundreds of cartons of books and files. Photo on the left shows Susie helping staff Patricia Evans with the unpacking of books.

The Library is pleased to announce that the new library will be named the Norenberg Building after the Norenberg family of Kemptville. The official announcement of the $150,000 donation was made in the nearly completed building. Left to Right Harry Pratt, Room to Read Campaign; Roberta Russell, Library board trustee; Julie, Christa, Eric and Margret Norenberg; Norma and George Fisher, Room to Read Campaign and Mayor David Gordon.

The Information Desk at the Library will be named after Dermid and Donna Lee O’Farrell and their family. The $75,000 donation was announced In the new library. Left to Right Gerald Tallman and Bill McElrea, Room to Read Campaign; Dermid and Donna Lee O’Farrell, George Fisher, Room to Read Campaign and Keeley Mouré, a partner with O’Farrell Financial Services. The business has also pledged $10,000 to the campaign for one of the Computer workstations.

Westerra Homes donates $10,000 to the Library.

The Cash Raffle Draw took place on January 1, 2011 at 3.00 pm at the Legion’s New Years Day Levee. The winners were as follows:

• $10,000 Winner: Ciony Ljungar
• 10 - $1,000 Winners: Don VanAllen; Michael Goss, Scott Winch; Royal Brock Group; Patricia Evans; Bev Tallman; Pete Johnston; Don Burnside; Gordon Tallman; Jennifer Li.

Thank you to everyone who participated in purchasing tickets.

The W.B. George Centre was transformed the evening of October 2, 2010. Guests were invited to step back into the 1940s with dress, music and auction items that reflected that era. The event was a great success and thanks go out to all of the volunteers that made it possible. Almost $30,000 was raised to support the campaign.

The crowd was treated to period music by the North Grenville Community Band.

They came and they came, and they ate and they ate. From families, to farmers, to business men and retired folk – lots of familiar faces and some new ones – record breaking crowds come out to the OPP Barbecues. The North Grenville Public Library Room to Read Campaign Committee is grateful for the support from Constable Cathy Lindsey, the barbecue goers and the three corporate sponsors who were responsible for the proceeds benefiting the North Grenville Public Library Room to Read Campaign.

The good people at Royal LePage Gale Real Estate, Steve and Christina Redmond from LaFarge Canada Inc., and our friends at Kemptville Truck Centre all had a hand at raising awareness and a total of $2,693 for the new central library that will open its doors in April 2011. Many thanks to all!

Volunteers spent countless hours stuffing envelopes for the mass mailing to households in North Grenville. Ivan, Linda, Roberta, Anne, Bill and Pat head off to the post office.

Dermid and Donna O’Farrell and the staff of O’Farrell Financial Services presented a cheque for $2,792, proceeds of their 2010 Best Offer Yard Sale, to George and Norma Fisher, Honourary Co-Chairs. The O’Farrell’s have pledged $10,000 to the campaign.

The second annual Jazz in the Garden was hosted by June and Peer Norgaard at their beautiful home and garden. Attendees danced, laughed and ate and drank while listening to the New Orleans Express band from Pembroke. Thanks to the efforts of countless volunteers and a number of local businesses who sponsored the event $15,000 was raised for the campaign.

North Grenville Public Library Says Thank You!

The Friends of the Library and the Room to Read Committee joined forces to create the Destination Jungle float for the Canada Day Parade. The float was based on the TD Summer Reading Club theme for 2010. The float won first prize in the Non-Commercial category.

The Library celebrated the "official groundbreaking" of the new site. A brave group descended into the beginnings of the foundation. Included from left to right Lynne Baxter, Library Chairperson; Bill McElrea, Chair of Room to Read Committee; Michael Paul, Project Manager from MHPM; Barb Tobin, Councillor; Sue Higgins, Library CEO; Francois L’Abbé, Jumec Construction; Norma & George Fisher, Honourary Co-Chairs of Room to Read; Gerry Shoalts, Shoalts & Zaback Architects; Bill Gooch, Mayor; Gord Brown, MP and Steve Clark, MPP. Lynne Baxter couldn’t believe that we were standing in the site of the new library (below, right).



On hand for the ceremonies was the previous librarian from Kemptville, Helen Groskopf, who spent over 40 years at the Kemptville Public Library. She is joined by her four children; Rosemary Dolan, John Groskopf, Fran Thompson and Edith Pominville.

Robyn Harris, Campaign Manager, outside the Room to Read Office.

The tender for construction was awarded to Jumec Construction at council on Monday, May 11th.
Their bid came in below budget which allowed the Library to return to the original design for the library. This design features beautiful limestone on the north and south walls of the Library.

Click here to view the stunning pictures »

Fast Eddie’s Auto Recycling made a generous donation of $2,800. From left, Eddie Como; Harry Pratt; Robyn Harris, Como’s son Ryan and Bill McElrea. EMC photo by Ashley Kulp.

Fast Eddie Como demolished the building at 13 Prescott Street to make way for the new Library building. Watch as Roberta Russell (Library Board) and Robyn Harris (Campaign Manager) do their best to push the building down!

Andy Caicco agrees to donate 20% of his sales from March 16th and 23rd to the campaign. Here, he presents Bill McElrea (Campaign Chair) and Robyn Harris (Campaign Manager) a cheque for $350.

Thanks to sponsorships from Nik Wellstein and Rob Thompson, Kemptville Building Centre; Lockwood Brothers, m5 Digital, Classic Graphics, and Sheila & Harry Pratt the Library was able to open a fundraising office at 125 Prescott Street. The Library also welcomed Robyn Harris, part time Manager for the Room to Read Campaign. MP Gord Brown, Mayor Bill Gooch and Councillor Barb Tobin opened the office in front of a large group of supporters...

Tickets for a cash raffle were sold for $100 each December 2009. The winning ticket was drawn at the Legion’s New Years Levee. The winning ticket was purchased by a group of 10 friends who celebrated with a glass of champagne. The raffle realized $10,400 for the campaign.

Watch as the winners receive the lucky call and celebrate!

In December the Committee sold poinsettias and offered to local schools the opportunity to make a donation in a teacher’s name. The two events raised $3,000 for the campaign.

James Prebble launched this new book Near as I Can Recall: Short Stories. A portion of the sales were donated to the campaign.

The North Grenville Quilters Guild donated a beautiful flower quilt to the campaign. Tickets were sold over the summer and early fall and raised $2,409. Robin Sherrit (centre) was the lucky winner.

In September Canadian Tire collected donations of Canadian Tire money for the Library. For the month the Library accepted Canadian Tire money in lieu of fines. Frank Hoffman and his staff matched the funds and gave $400 to the campaign. In the winter of 2010 they made an additional donation of $189.

The Annual volleyball tournament sponsored by Mohr Real Estate donated $300 to the campaign.

Peer and June Norgaard hosted a wonderful afternoon of music, food and drink at their beautiful home and garden. The New Orleans Day Jazz band entertained while people ate, drank and toured the garden. Thanks to the many sponsors of the day, along with Scotiabank who sold tickets for the event and matched tickets sales. Thanks to the many volunteers, including the ladies who organized the food.

The employees of O’Farrell Financial Services held the First Annual Yard Sale to raise funds for the Library. With the help of many volunteers including members of the 73s Hockey Team, Knights of Columbus and Total Move Management $3,464 was raised for the campaign.

A silent auction was held in support of the campaign at the Friends of the Library dinner. A cheque for $4,000 was presented to the Library.

Room to Read had their formal launch at a Fundraising Breakfast at the Municipal Centre. Honourary Co-Chairs George & Norma Fisher and Campaign Chair Bill McElrea welcomed the guests. Harry Pratt, Chair of Major Gifts, talked about the importance of the Library to the community.