HANCEVILLE — Welcome upgrades to the Hanceville Public Library’s aging onsite kitchen were made possible after the library found itself on the receiving end of the most recent round of grant funding from the Alabama Mountains, Rivers and Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council.
Head librarian Shirley Burden said their weekly story time sessions have become one of the library’s most popular events, with as many as 70 to 80 children in attendance at times. She said the aging kitchen has made it difficult to provide refreshments for the children and welcomed the updates which were made possible by the $7,000 grant.
“We have a story time for the children every Wednesday morning and we will make snacks for them, so this will help with that. Some of the different civic groups will meet here and use it as well,” Burden said.
The RC&D Council awards more than $300,000 each year to community focused projects across eight counties: Cullman, DeKalb, Jackson, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall and Morgan. State Rep. Randall Shedd attended the kitchen’s unveiling Tuesday morning, and said he has witnessed multiple projects completed thanks to RC&D funding.
“They’ve helped a lot of projects in my district which made a difference in them getting over the finish line,” Shedd said.
Cherrie Haney, one of 13 board members tasked with selecting which projects will receive funding each year, said one reason the project was chosen was because of the profound impact public libraries are able to have for rural communities. She said she also feels a close personal connection with the library, her children and now her grandchildren have grown up visiting the Hanceville branch, and has been thrilled to have awarded the library with multiple grants over the years.
“This has been a bit of an ongoing project. They have done different projects along the way and this will just enhance what they are able to do for the kids here in Hanceville,” Haney said.
The library’s outdoor reading garden was also funded through a RC&D grant.
Applications for the next round of funding — awarded in October — will be accepted now through June 30.