The Cambrian

Matching grant sparks another $10,000 donation

Kathe Tanner - ktanner@thetribunenews.com
The Cambria Community Council — represented by Vice President Denis de Clercq, at left, and board Secretary Suzanne Kennedy, second from the left — has given a rare $10,000 midyear grant to match a $10,000 new-library-fund challenge grant made in March by the Old Cambria Market Place (partner Eric Johnson, is second from the right; partner John Hallvik couldn’t attend). Jeri Farrell, president of Friends of the Cambria Library, at right, now hopes another organization, business or individual will match the council's donation.
The Cambria Community Council — represented by Vice President Denis de Clercq, at left, and board Secretary Suzanne Kennedy, second from the left — has given a rare $10,000 midyear grant to match a $10,000 new-library-fund challenge grant made in March by the Old Cambria Market Place (partner Eric Johnson, is second from the right; partner John Hallvik couldn’t attend). Jeri Farrell, president of Friends of the Cambria Library, at right, now hopes another organization, business or individual will match the council's donation. ktanner@thetribunenews.com

The Cambria Community Council voted Tuesday, May 1, to make a rare, large, midyear grant of $10,000 to the Friends of the Cambria Library’s $1.4 million fund drive for a new, larger library facility.The donation will fulfill the requirements of a $10,000 challenge grant issued in March by John Hallvik and Eric Johnson, partner/owners of the Old Cambria Market Place and Car Wash (Shell station).

A challenge grant is money given with the caveat that other community members match it. The deadline for this challenge was June 30.

The Friends group has another $50,000 challenge grant on the table from an anonymous local couple, also with a June 30 deadline.

Jeri Farrell, Friends’ chairwoman, said Monday, May 7, that the nonprofit organization has received about $30,000 toward that challenge. Once the match is met, she said, “we can get architectural drawings and go out for bids” toward completing the library’s interior utilities, fixtures and furnishings. “We’re so close.”

Cambria’s dozen book clubs also have challenged each other to raise funds.

As of April 30, Friends had raised $1,064,714.94 toward the campaign goal of $1,405,000, Farrell said.Council members agreed, Voge said, that the library does and will “provide services to everybody, from youngsters to seniors, and for tourists who come to use the Wi-Fi” or other services.

The match caveat has been renewed, Voge said. “Now it’s up to the community, especially other nonprofits and groups, to match this $10,000 from the council.”

Friends must pay the county the full $1.4 million by Dec. 31.

Johnson said he and Hallvik believe it’s important for local businesses to support Friends’ efforts and other good causes. “This was a good spot to jump in and get the ball rolling,” he said.

Take donations to the current library at 900 Main St., or go to www.cambriafol.org. For details, call Farrell at 924-1814.

This story was originally published May 10, 2012 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Matching grant sparks another $10,000 donation."

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