Anonymous donor gives $50K to library
By Kelly Griffith-Fields news@bullardnews.com

Bullard Community Library's Capital Campaign has received a $50,000 gift from a local donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

"This is a really big boost for our campaign as we near the $400,000 mark," said treasurer Martha Dinwiddie.

The donors, she said, place a high value on education and expect this gift to stimulate and challenge other individuals and foundations to step forward with large or small gifts to push forward the $1.6 million campaign.

"Bullard is receiving local and state attention as one of the fast-growing, attractive areas in in Texas," said Library Director Debbie Brown, Library Director. "There are many worthy causes in our area, but none of more lasting importance or value to the entire Bullard community than a new library building. A new, modern, well-furnished and staffed library will be an outstanding asset to the community.

"I ask donors to look seriously at the long-term investment they can make by contributing generously and without delay to our campaign. We have a number of naming opportunities and we welcome inquiries about this possibility."

Some site preparation has already been made and architectural plans are in place. Anyone who would like to see the floor plans and three-dimensional site elevations is invited to come by the library or view the elevations online at the library's website.

A link for the Capital Campaign can be found at www.bullardlibrary.org

Local support has been exceptional, Brown said. A number of businesses joined the initial "Bullard Businesses Back the Library" in 2005.

Other fund-raisers, including an Evening in Provence, Picnics in the Park, and the Kids' Change for a Change Campaign have boosted the campaign.

Local supports totals $168,000; corporate and foundation gifts have added $232,000.

"Interest in the new library building is phenomenal," Brown said. "We have such a broad base of library users - residents of Bullard, including Emerald Bay and Eagle's Bluff, as well as Flint, Gresham, Mixon, Jacksonville, Whitehouse and Tyler. Library visitors frequently ask me when we will have a new library.

"I always say that depends on money, and they usually drop something in our donation box at the circulation desk. We have big plans for new programs and offerings when we have the new

10,000 square-foot building.

"That will be a proud day

for all the citizens of the Bullard area."