A $25,000 donation to the Lumby Library has inspired other contributors to come forward to support the creation of a new technology centre for the rural community hub.
Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, recently announced the donation and soon the Monashee Community Forest and Regional District of North Okanagan extended its generosity.
The RDNO, the current landlord of the library, agreed to provide complimentary building space to house the new centre in the same building and MCF contributed $8,000 towards renovations, furnishings and new signage.
“Libraries are such an integral part of our community, serving as hubs where people can gather to learn, grow and connect,” Valley First president Paulo Araujo said.
“We’re thrilled to be able to support the meaningful work the library undertakes and are even more thrilled to see other community partners have joined forces alongside us to help.”
New pieces of equipment, including analog to digital conversion systems and coding training systems for children, will fill the space at the Okanagan Regional Library Lumby branch.
Virtual Reality headsets and a Cricut cutting machine for crafting will also be purchased allowing the rural community to experience new tech and learn new skills without travelling to Vernon.
“We are excited about this new opportunity for the greater Lumby community, which has resulted from several organizations partnering with the Okanagan Regional Library,” ORL CEO Don Nettleton said.
“The generous monetary donations and the additional space provided will allow the Library to add equipment and programming to help the community members preserve memories and history stuck on outdated media by converting them to digital formats.”
The new centre is expected to open in late April.
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Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com
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