On Saturday, July 24, the heavy summer heat of the Georgia coast had barely started its daily barrage on Richmond Hill when a task force of selfless citizens convened at Richmond Hill Public Library.
Armed with rakes, shovels and buckets of other assorted supplies, the volunteers set out to instigate some much needed maintenance to both the library’s grounds and interior.
“After walking around the grounds with the library manager [Kate Barker], we compiled a list of 20-30 items [projects] of interest,” Richmond Hill Library Trustee Marvin Back said.
Indeed, the list made by the trustee and Mrs. Barker was extensive. Included in the proposed repairs were everything from simple weeding and washing to the sanding and repainting of doors and dry wall repair.
For such an ambitious agenda, the onsite crew of volunteers was small. An ad was placed in the Bryan County News a couple of weeks prior to the project and about 12 volunteers from around the community showed interest in participating, along with a local Boy Scout troop.
“We’re just here to clean up the things that get lost in the shuffle,” local philanthropist Andriette Back said as she diligently worried the weeds around the library’s main entrance.
While not everyone interested in the noble venture could come out in the flesh, openhanded businesses lent out supplies or equipment where they could. Plantation Lumber of Richmond Hill lent the library their concrete washer, a powerful and expensive piece of machinery.
“We’ll do all we can today, and what we don’t do now we’ll come back for another time,” said a determined Back.
The helping hand couldn’t have come at a better time for library manager Kate Barker, who said summer continues to be one of the library’s busiest seasons due to school summer reading lists and a general influx of free time amongst the populace.
“It’s just such a blessing that the community’s getting together to do something nice for the library,” said Barker.
Armed with rakes, shovels and buckets of other assorted supplies, the volunteers set out to instigate some much needed maintenance to both the library’s grounds and interior.
“After walking around the grounds with the library manager [Kate Barker], we compiled a list of 20-30 items [projects] of interest,” Richmond Hill Library Trustee Marvin Back said.
Indeed, the list made by the trustee and Mrs. Barker was extensive. Included in the proposed repairs were everything from simple weeding and washing to the sanding and repainting of doors and dry wall repair.
For such an ambitious agenda, the onsite crew of volunteers was small. An ad was placed in the Bryan County News a couple of weeks prior to the project and about 12 volunteers from around the community showed interest in participating, along with a local Boy Scout troop.
“We’re just here to clean up the things that get lost in the shuffle,” local philanthropist Andriette Back said as she diligently worried the weeds around the library’s main entrance.
While not everyone interested in the noble venture could come out in the flesh, openhanded businesses lent out supplies or equipment where they could. Plantation Lumber of Richmond Hill lent the library their concrete washer, a powerful and expensive piece of machinery.
“We’ll do all we can today, and what we don’t do now we’ll come back for another time,” said a determined Back.
The helping hand couldn’t have come at a better time for library manager Kate Barker, who said summer continues to be one of the library’s busiest seasons due to school summer reading lists and a general influx of free time amongst the populace.
“It’s just such a blessing that the community’s getting together to do something nice for the library,” said Barker.