10/24/03

NEWS-KALEVA BRANCH LIBRARY

The new quarters for the Kaleva Branch of the Manistee County Library are looking good to open late next spring. (2004). The building will be “wintered in” so contractors and volunteers can work inside during the coming months.

The Kaleva Library Promoters have received many small donations and some large ones as well. They have applied for and received some grants and are working on others. There is a way to go yet.

• Forms were put in place
• Footings were put in
• The walls, textured to look like brick, were poured finishing up by moonlight.
• The backfilling and scraping of the parking lot was done. (Dan Clouse)
• The Depot Crew, retirees who meet on Tuesdays, built window headers.
• The knee walls were put in and floor laid by Depot Crew.

Report continued by Cindy Asiala-

• Walls were built and put in place.
• Partitions for rooms built.
• Rafters/trusses put up and tower built.

(The severe winds on 11/12 caused some of the rafters to fall. They will be re-placed at the next workday 11/19/03. Thanks to individuals who secured the tower hours before.)

The Kaleva Library Promoters subcommittee on construction are Jim Richardson, Roger Niemitalo, Charles Ausmus and Jerry Peterson, Jr. The Depot Crew are Ken Kuuttila, R. & P. Asiala, J. & R. Niemitalo, D. Lagerquist, and M. Larsen. Joining them on workdays have been a miriad of folks from the area: A. Kuuttila, J.V. Guillen, D. Hoeh, S. & M. Stauch, R. Argue, R. & B. Finan (and crane). Others come and go as able.

Donations of lunch at the KT and soup and sandwiches at the BL Church are appreciated.

The next fundraiser will be the Sweets and Treats sale at the Drug Store December 13. A variety of candy, cookies, and other goodies will be available from 9:00-noon. Stop by for a cup of coffee or lemonade and share the excitement the new library is generating.

Watch for more photos.