For Hub City Times

Representatives of the Marshfield Lions Club attended the grand opening of the Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library on Sunday, Nov. 13. Lion Ken Zittleman presented a check for $1,000 to Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library Director Lori Belongia to be used for purchasing reading materials for the hearing and visually impaired. The Lions Club also delivered a wooden container for depositing used eyeglasses, which are distributed by Lion members to needy people in Nicaragua and Mexico.

Solarus recently announced it is making a contribution of $4,900, along with a matching $4,900 from CoBank’s Sharing Success matching grant program, to the Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library for a total contribution of $9,800.

CoBank’s program matches donations to nonprofit organizations in communities that its customers serve.

“We continue to believe that the best way for CoBank to make a meaningful impact of corporate citizenship is to partner with our customers. Sharing Success enables CoBank to leverage the local knowledge and expertise and provide assistance to causes that our customers care deeply about,” said CoBank CEO Bob Engel.

“We are delighted and grateful for the generosity of CoBank and Solarus’ gift to the Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library. These funds will be instrumental in the assistance of updating our library’s growing technology needs in our children’s area as well as supporting the library’s overall cause of strengthening our community,” said Belongia. “To address the needs and interest of children from ages 2 through 12, we will purchase AWE (Advanced Workstations in Education) workstations for early literacy and after school learning. AWE stations deliver learning through electronic educational games. Learning is always best when it is fun too. This donation brings learning and fun to more children.”

This is the fourth consecutive year Solarus has received the CoBank Sharing Success grant. Last year’s recipient was the South Wood County YMCA, and the year prior it went to the Tribune Building Project in the Wisconsin Rapids area.