2010

• January 5 – Special Fundraising Meeting held to plan monthly events for the 4^th Saturday of each month
• Web page is created (www.dawnproject.org) to promote fundraising events and encourage online contributions
• February 27 Spaghetti Dinner at Concord Baptist Church
• March 13 “Wine for Words” event
• Lucy Allen Dunnington Memorial contributions donated to Dawn Project
• March 27 – Reedy Church Variety Show
• April 10 – Mt. Vernon Church donated funds to project from Plant Swap & Sale
• April 24 – Dinner at Bethel United Methodist Church
• May 7 – Friends of Caroline Library donated funds from Dinner and Auction
• June 1 – 30 everyone is encouraged to vote in the Pepsi Refresh campaign for $250,000
• June 12 – Second Mount Zion hosts Flea Market and Fish Fry
• June 28 – Dawn Project is put out for bid
• July 8 – Pre-bid meeting for project
• July 14 – 17 – Caroline County Agricultural Fair TV/Gas Cards Raffle
• July 21 – Bids are opened
• July 24 – Glenn Reynolds reported Bid opening to Board of Supervisors
• August 20 – Pancake Supper at Concord Baptist Church
• September 11 – Display at the Dedication of the old Caroline High School
• October 30 – Frog Level Parade and Shotgun/Gas Cards Raffle
• November 20 – Table at the Concord Church Holiday Bazaar
• December 4 – Friends of Caroline Library Holiday Bazaar in Bowling Green
• December 4 – “A Touch of Jazz” Gala at Meadow Event Park compliments of James Management Group

Please come out and show your support for the new Dawn library building on Oct 12th at the Board of Supervisors meeting.  We are in the final stages and need to show them that we support their decision to fund the new building.  Tuesday Oct. 12th they will be going through the final process for the loan, the last of the formalities.

            I am sure that by now, everyone knows that the Board of Supervisors approved moving ahead with the construction of the new Dawn Branch.  I have to say that I was greatly relieved with the vote and humbled after listening to citizens speak about other much needed projects.

            I have been with the Caroline Library since the very beginning – you might say the library is my 4^th child.  I have worked hard to create a library system that will provide information, programs and services to the citizens of Caroline County. 

I started the Friends as a support group for special projects.  If the Friends of Caroline Library had not already raised $100,000 back in 1997, we might not have our wonderful Community Services Center.  We received lots of compliments on the Center from those who attended the Genealogy Conference last Spring.  When the Community Center renovations were completed in 2000, the Friends contributed another $30,000 to that project.

            The Ladysmith Branch was donated to the county, but the Friends of Ladysmith Branch raised the funds to purchase the furnishings and some books for the shelves.

            The Dawn Branch is a much needed facility.  There is no school in the Reedy Church District so this will become a “safe place” for after-school activities and homework assignments.  The 12-station computer lab will provide Internet access for patrons that cannot afford home computers much less high-speed internet.  The meeting room will be used for programs and services for children, adults and senior citizens both during the day and after hours.  It will also be available free of charge for community meetings and/or events.

            The Dawn Committee has been meeting since fall of 2007 and have raised over $150,000 towards this project.  Again, we have not come empty-handed and plan to continue the monthly fundraisers until the project is completed.

            There are concerns about hiring staff for the new library.  Please don’t forget that we already have staff in place that looks forward to working with the citizens who will flock to the new facility.  And just as the Port Royal Branch was started with a corps of volunteers, we are actively recruiting volunteers for the Dawn Branch who will be ready to assist with the move and keep the doors open. 

            Public libraries enrich and educate residents to become better citizens, obtain better paying jobs to pay local taxes and be productive citizens.  Using library resources, being assisted by trained staff and just meeting others at the library, exposes people to new ideas and how to apply them in their lives.

            Yes, there are so many other worthwhile causes that need financial support – the Caroline schools, Caroline Pines water system, YMCA.  These are tough times and there are people out there with tougher problems.  I’m not saying that a Library has all of the answers but the Dawn Branch will certainly provide opportunities to find some answers. The Dawn Committee will gladly share their ideas on how these special interest groups might be able to raise funds for their special causes.

            In these tough times, we all need to become tight communities and good neighbors once again.  As I commented in another article, it is amazing how one small act of kindness can make the world of difference for someone in need – I see it and practice it every day.  

Kay Brooks, Director

2007

• 23 citizens met with Maxie Rozell on July 27 to discuss creating a Dawn Committee to pursue building a new branch library for the Dawn community.  Three Committees were created – Site, Fundraising and Building.
• Friends of Caroline Library agreed to serve as the fiscal agent for the committee
• $235,000 from CIP Funds were deposited into special Dawn Project account
• Site Committee recommended property on Route 301 that had been donated
• Building Committee recommended that the facility be no less than 5,000 square feet
• Glenn Reynolds hired to design a 5,000 square foot Library

2008

• Plans designed by Glenn Reynolds approved
• 16-month Time Line adopted by Committee
• Friends of Caroline Library donate $10,000 to project
• Brick Campaign adopted as a fundraiser and 1^st mass mailing to constituents
• Friends of Ladysmith Library donate $12,000 to project
• Froehling & Robertson tested soil and State Fair donated needed soil
• Glenn Reynolds presented plans to Board of Supervisors on August 26
• Churches are invited to sponsor fundraising events for the branch library
• Fundraising projects include: quilt raffle, book sale, bake sales, brick sales, business donations
• Flippo Foundation donated $25,000 for Computer Lab
• 2^nd Mass Mailing to constituents in fall
• Ground Breaking ceremony held on September 30

 

2009

• Plans submitted to the County for approval and wetland issues develop
• Marietta McNeil and Samuel Tate Morgan Foundation donated $15,000 to project
• Lot changed and Site plan revised to accommodate wetlands issue
• “Wine for Words” adopted as a fundraiser
• Other fundraisers include: jumble sales, book sales, afghan raffle, silent auctions, brick sales
• Sign/Banner at the site installed in June
• Secretariat Foundation and Mrs. Kate Tweedy donate $5,000 to project
• “Evening with Mark Twain” held at the Hanover Tavern and Pub
• Glenn Reynolds presented revised plans to Board of Supervisors on November 24

 

2010

• January 5 – Special Fundraising Meeting held to plan monthly events for the 4^th Saturday of each month
• Web page is created (www.dawnproject.org) to promote fundraising events and encourage online contributions
• February 27 Spaghetti Dinner at Concord Baptist Church
• March 13 “Wine for Words” event
• Lucy Allen Dunnington Memorial contributions donated to Dawn Project
• March 27 – Reedy Church Variety Show
• April 10 – Mt. Vernon Church donated funds to project from Plant Swap & Sale
• April 24 – Dinner at Bethel United Methodist Church
• May 7 – Friends of Caroline Library donated funds from Dinner and Auction
• June 1 – 30 everyone is encouraged to vote in the Pepsi Refresh campaign for $250,000
• June 12 – Second Mount Zion hosts Flea Market and Fish Fry
• June 28 – Dawn Project is put out for bid
• July 8 – Pre-bid meeting for project
• July 14 – 17 – Caroline County Agricultural Fair TV/Gas Cards Raffle
• July 21 – Bids are opened
• July 24 – Glenn Reynolds reported Bid opening to Board of Supervisors

 

Since January, 2010, the Dawn Committee has raised over $14,000 and will continue with the monthly fundraisers