NORTH BATTLEFORD — On Thursday, May 8, the Kiwanis Club made a significant contribution to the educational community by donating $7,000 to Bready Elementary School, earmarked for much-needed library renovations.
John Hunchak, a member of the Kiwanis Club, expressed the organization's dedication to supporting children, stating, “The Kiwanis Club has always had a focus towards helping young children; priority one! And today we get to help put money towards renovating the Elementary school library.”
While the Kiwanis Club’s donation is a boost for the project, Hunchak lamented, “Unfortunately, this is our final donation before the Kiwanis Club closes its doors. Our membership is down, and we don’t have any young members to keep it going.”
The initiative to renovate the library was sparked by a request from Bready Elementary School principal Rhonda Simon, who reached out to the Kiwanis Club on April 4, seeking support from local community groups to enhance the educational environment. Located within the Living Sky School Division, Bready Elementary serves students from kindergarten through Grade 6, and Principal Simon stressed the importance of the library as a versatile learning space.
“Our latest project is updating our library,” said Simon. “Bready School continues to grow in enrollment, and this space is well used all day long by all students. We are looking for funds to renovate and update our library. It is an important part of our learning space and serves students and staff in a variety of ways. It is a place to seek and find a book to curl up with, to research by yourself or with a group of classmates, a place to work with an adult, to listen to a story, to construct with building blocks or STEAM activities, to meet as a club and interest group – the list is unending.”
The funds will go toward upgrading library infrastructure, with plans to install new flooring, seating, and a refreshed design. However, the estimated cost of carpet tiles alone exceeds $10,000, highlighting the need for ongoing fundraising efforts.
“We continue to fundraise for our library renovation project and are so grateful to the Kiwanis Club for their generosity,” Simon added.
