Members of the “Promoting Learning — Engaging the Community” Irvin L. Young Memorial Library capital campaign committee announced Thursday that they have exceeded a fundraising goal to provide half of the resources required to make renovations to and build an addition at the facility.

According to information released by the committee, in 2021, the Whitewater Common Council “presented the library with a challenge,” leading to action taken by the committee to raise half of the funds required to renovate and expand the existing library. The committee took action to raise half of the $6 million identified as the cost of the full project.

The council has passed a resolution, stating that, once the library had secured its half of the required funding, the city would make plans to fund the other half, likely through a borrowing, with those plans proposed to likely take place in 2024.

As stated in Thursday’s release, the capital campaign committee raised more than $2,300,000 to be added to the library’s reserves of $840,000, for a total of $3.1 million, which satisfies the library’s obligation to fund half of the project’s identified costs. 

Once completed, the project will bring updated and enlarged spaces into the existing portion of the library and will add a 4,400-square-foot addition onto the building.

“We deeply appreciate the Whitewater community’s generosity to help us complete the campaign much sooner than expected. More than 260 people made gifts of all sizes.” Jim Winship, campaign chair, was quoted as saying in the release.

Along with Winship, members of the Campaign Leadership Committee include: Doug Anderso, Brienne Brown, Kelly Davis, Richard Haney, Anne Hartwick, Jon Kachel, Ginger Katzman, Jennifer Motsko, and Gayle Stettler.

“The Whitewater community has come together in a tremendous way to make the new library, which is expected to open in 2025, a reality. The vision that was presented to me by the library board that hired me back in 2001 has finally come to pass.”  outgoing Library Director Stacey Lunsford was quoted as saying in the release.

Lunsford tendered her resignation in September. Her last day of as library director in Whitewater is Friday, Nov. 24. A reception in her honor will be held Friday, Nov. 10.

An earlier story about the reception planned for Lunsford is here: https://whitewaterwise.com/library-to-host-reception-for-departing-director/.

“We are also pleased to announce that Fort Community Credit Union made an especially generous gift of $100,000 to help get the campaign ‘over the top.’ As with other businesses and individuals that made significant gifts, they will be prominently recognized in the new building,” Lunsford noted.

According to the release, those interested in making gifts towards “recognition opportunities” may continue to do so through the end of this year. Such gifts offer an opportunity to remember or honor a person, or recognize a family or business through placement of a wall tile. 

For more information about the project or making a donation, contact Lunsford by phone: 262 473-0530.

An earlier story about the proposed library renovation and expansion, including artist renditions depicting the space, is here: https://whitewaterwise.com/lunsford-to-council-library-is-166000-away-from-2-25-million-fundraising-goal/.