Staff Writer
Three Aroostook County libraries and one non-profit have been awarded a combined $39,000 in grants from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.
MICHAELA BRAGG and Sarah Sjoberg enjoy two of the new Nooks, purchased for the Washburn District High School’s library with funds from a Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation grant.
The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle got word recently that it will receive $7,500 from the fund.
“The grant was applied for in September and we were notified a few weeks ago that our proposal — public-access computer replacement — was accepted. We requested $7,500 and were funded for the entire amount,” said Sonja Plummer-Morgan, librarian.
The money will be used to upgrade outdated and un-repairable equipment.
“The grant will be used to purchase hardware/software to replace the public-access computers that were no longer able to be fixed. In 2010, five computers were no longer able to be repaired, reducing the number of computers in the building available to the public to six,” she said.
Plummer-Morgan said they also requested help reducing the number of computer monitors that are old Energy Star-rated monitors.
“We anticipate significant energy savings as a result and being more socially responsible with energy usage in general. The computers available are used an average of 36,000 hours per year, so losing any computers strained our services considerably,” explained Plummer-Morgan.
New systems will be used to replace the public access computers, as outlined in the grant proposal. They’ll also serve as teaching tools.
“Our librarians are in continuous teaching mode for people still learning basic, intermediate and advanced computer skills. Librarians will use the computers to augment patron learning,” she said.
This isn’t the first time the library has received a King Foundation grant.
“An organization may only apply for the STK grant every two years. Several years ago (around 2005) we received a $25,000 grant to replace the lighting in the building from old fluorescents to energy-efficient lighting. As a result of that, we received nearly $4,000 in rebates from Efficiency Maine,” said Plummer-Morgan. For more information, call 764-2571.
Also receiving funds is the Washburn District High School Library.
“The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation recently awarded a grant of $2,000 to the WDHS Library to purchase Barnes & Noble Nooks,” said Librarian Londa Brown.
The new eReaders were unveiled to the students in April, which was National School Library Month.
“Our library encourages and promotes independent readers, knowing that students who are readers are more successful in school and in life,” Brown said.
Brown said donations are welcome to help the library purchase ebooks for the new readers. For more information or to arrange a donation, contact Brown at 455-4501 or e-mail libbrown@msad45.net.
The largest sum for a library, $25,000, was received by the University of Maine at Fort Kent which will be used for a new roof and roofing insulation for the University’s Waneta T. Blake Library.
Blake Library plays a vital role in supporting residents of many communities in the St. John Valley and beyond, as well as UMFK’s students, by providing access to information services; resources; juvenile, young adult and adult literature; and Internet access. The library also has a small art gallery where local artists regularly display their work. The library serves upwards of 10,000 patrons annually.
UMFK’s Director of Information Services Leslie Kelly, who supervises the operation of the library, made the application for the grant with the King Foundation in December 2010, complete with a budget estimate of $24,622.
Kelly appealed to the Foundation for the funds, writing in the application, “the roof is leaking in several places and has already been patched several times.”
“In addition, proper insulation would increase the life of the new roof and help save on heating,” she added.
The University received a check about a month ago covering the cost of the project.
The Northern Lighthouse Inc., a residential treatment facility in Mars Hill, also received word this spring that it had received a grant in the amount of $5,000.
“Earlier this year, the Northern Lighthouse looked like Santa’s workshop, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the STK Foundation. The Toy Box project resulted from a grant application submitted in December. The toys, recreational equipment and art supplies will benefit more than 60 children with developmental delays, social issues and physical handicaps,” said Bobbie Jo Adams, administrative assistant/grant writer.
The project aids children with special needs with a variety of goals, including: socialization, communication and increased motor skills.
“Toys, games, art supplies and sporting equipment were all purchased from K-mart in Presque Isle through the K-mart Kares program for non-profits. Clinicians, day habilitation specialists and behavioral health professionals will all use the toy boxes as tools to work on individual goals while in home and community settings,” said Adams.
Tiffany Faulkner, CEO of the Northern Lighthouse Inc., is very grateful for the grant, “because of the Foundation, we’re better able to meet the needs of our clients.”
She continues, “every program, every worker and every child will benefit from the items purchased with the grant.”
Faulkner explained that items are age appropriate and picked specifically to meet the individual needs of the children. Board games, outdoor activities and educational games, including puzzles, are among the items purchased.
“I hope that we can get the families in the habit of having family game nights and that the tradition will carry on,” said Faulkner.
Many of the items purchased with the grant encourage family involvement, knowing that games foster healthy family bonds and promote communication.
The Northern Lighthouse Residential Treatment Facility will also benefit from items purchased with the grant money. Program director for the facility, Tami Cote, would like the children to “have no down time.”
She said she looked for items that help the girls become “well-rounded and self-reflective.”
As a means of self-reflection, the residents have been encouraged to write daily in journals purchased with the grant money. Cote is really excited about the purchase of chapter books which have led to reading nights three times a week. Board games were purchased to be used for family visits as we as to work on peer interaction. Books, cook books and board games focused on life skills will be used to work on independent living goals.
Coping skills are also being worked on with items purchased with the grant. Sensory boxes filled with buttons, beads, marbles and rice were created with the funds. Children who have sensory issues can use the boxes to adjust to different textures. Sensory boxes can be very relaxing and can be used to calm a child in distress, said Cote.
The Northern Lighthouse Inc. is a nonprofit providing mental health services to children throughout Aroostook County. The Toy Box Project is the first step in providing sensory and recreational equipment their clients. The Lighthouse continues to seek funding for sensory equipment and recreational opportunities to further help clients manage their diagnosis while continuing to grow and learn. For more information, contact bobbie.adams@tnlh.org.
The Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation was created because its founders wanted to give back to their communities. The Foundation strives to fulfill its mission with respect, integrity and consideration.
“Stephen and Tabitha King are champions of library projects and have a long-standing dedication to the improvement of libraries and the services that they offer to communities. We are grateful to the Kings for recognizing the economic value we bring to our respective communities and for helping us put our progressive ideas into action with the funding they provide,” said Plummer-Morgan.
THE NORTHERN LIGHTHOUSE INC. has received a $5,000 grant from the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation to provide toys, learning resources and recreational equipment for special needs children. Pictured from left are Henry Carpenter, Alishia Bretzke, Director Tami Cote and Linda Guiggey.
