1996
Library Building Fund Drive1996
Library Building Fund Drive
Williamston is a small town (about 3,000 residents)
located about 20 miles East of Lansing, Michigan. In the Winter
of 1994, the building occupied by the Williamston Library experienced
major structural damage as a result of snow load on its roof.
Repairs were made, but engineers concluded that the 75 year old
building would last only about 2 years. A recent inspection resulted
in a one year reprieve, but it is clear
that it is time now to build a new library building!
As a member of the Williamston City Council, I am Chair of the
Library Committee. Our committee has chosen a beautiful city-owned
building site on the north bank of the Red Cedar River on which
to build a new $1
Million library. The City
has established a tax exempt Library Building Trust Fund and we're
seeking contributions.
I dedicated the portion of my bicycle ride between Alaska and
Michigan to raising funds for library construction and established
a pledge drive by which people could pledge so much per mile.
I asked: "How much per mile are you willing to pay to see
this middle-aged overweight guy ride?"
According to DeLorme's CyberRouter
it is 3,586 miles from Fairbanks to Williamston. Bicycling often
requires using less direct routes, however, so I expected I would
be riding about 4,000 miles. I actually rode 4,321 miles. We received
pledges from all over the world, but I'm sorry to report that
we fell short of our goal by more than $990,000. We still need
all the contributions we can get.
If you are interested in contributing to this worthy cause, please
obtain a contribution form and send
it to us with your check. Upon receipt of your check, the City
will send you a receipt for your tax records.
 Contribution Form |
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