February 26, 2004 - 4:00pm
Malaspina University-College’s new library campaign is over $300,000 short of its $1.75 million fund-raising goal and organizers are issuing an appeal to the community.
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“The campaign has achieved remarkable success so far but we need a final push to meet our goal,” said Ross Fraser, Malaspina’s campaign coordinator. “We can’t rest on our laurels yet.”
Fraser praises strong community support for the library campaign, and hopes to build on that support during the next month to meet campaign objectives.
Pat Dennison, Chair of the Malaspina University-College Foundation, said the fact that over $1.4 million has been raised so far is a true indication of the community’s tremendous support for Malaspina and the library project.
“Everyone seems to realize this new library is a great investment that’s going to benefit the entire community and help Malaspina continue its development as a major educational institution in British Columbia,” she said.
“It’s very gutsy of Malaspina to build a new library when the province has provided less than one third of the cost. That makes it vitally important for the community to do its part to help create a first-rate community facility.”
Bob Foley, Malaspina’s Director of Library Services, said campaign funds will equip the new library with computers and other learning tools students need to study.
“We need to meet the campaign goal to create a library equal to libraries at other universities,” Foley said.
Fraser said discussions are under way with a potential donor of $100,000 and with two others for $25,000 each. “This could potentially take the library campaign tantalizingly close to its goal,” he said. “It won’t take much to push us over the top.”
Fraser and Dennison encourage individuals and local businesses - that have not already done so - to come forward in the next month and offer financial support to the library campaign.
As the campaign advances towards its fund-raising goal, organizers colour a stack of library books on highway signs to increase community awareness about the project. “We’d love to meet our goal and colour in the whole stack of books completely,” said Fraser. “We’re counting on the community to enable us to do that.”
Malaspina hosts a large annual Business Breakfast on March 30th and library campaign organizers hope it will be a celebration of community sponsors.
For information about the library campaign and how you can help, call the campaign office at 740-6211.
Tags: In the Community
