Emmaus Public Library Holds Fundraiser at Brookside

Last night, at Brookside Country Club in Macungie, the Emmaus Public Library held a gala to celebrate it's children's wing project, but also to try and raise more money.

At inception in 2005, it was a $1 million project, but because of economic realities, it was scaled back to about $700,000, said Library Director Frances Larash.

That means the planned 4,500 square-foot wing will now be 3,500 square-feet.

“As it is now, there is no space to move [in the children’s area],” Larash said. “It is difficult for a mother and child to sit and read together.

“We want to provide a friendly atmosphere … we want to encourage reading.”

That comes with a $700,000 price tag.

The fund is short about $250,000. And all the money raised so far, about $450,000 has come from private donations. No taxpayer money has been used, according to Krista Pegnetter, fund-raising chair for the Emmaus Public Library board of directors.

During the gala Feb. 12, Krista said she has donated $5,000 herself and also noted these donations:

• $50,000 from Ardath Rodale (Ardath died in 2009)
• $100,000 from the Rodale family
• $10,000 from PPL
• $10,000 from the Century Fund
• $80,000 from the Friends of the Emmaus Library
• $10,000 from Richard and Julie Brooks (Library Booard Member)

$50,000 from Dorothy Nicholas (Library Board Member)

“This project is not publicly funded,” Larash has said. “The library board and volunteers raised the money through corporate foundations and trusts.”

Tentatively, the project will break ground in June whether the remaining $250,000 is raised or not.

“We should be able to build,” Larash said, “we just might have to furnish it later, raising money for tables and chairs or the circulation desk as we go.”

That is why the library is asking the community for donations now.