Generous donors help fund libraries

In Soldiers Grove & Gays Mills

LOCAL LIBRARY FOLKS assembled at the Gays Mills Public Library last week to celebrate a very successful fundraising moment. The check for $46,000 is the amount the Soldiers Grove & Gays Mill libraries together will receive. Holding the check are, from left, GM Library Board President Lois Schwert; GM Library Assistant Khadijah Lacina & Library Director David Gibbs; Soldiers Grove Library Director Sarah Di Padova and SG Library Board President Maura Otis.

library check — LOCAL LIBRARY FOLKS assembled at the Gays Mills Public Library last week to celebrate a very successful fundraising moment. The check for $46,000 is the amount the Soldiers Grove & Gays Mill libraries together will receive. Holding the check are, from left, GM Library Board President Lois Schwert; GM Library Assistant Khadijah Lacina & Library Director David Gibbs; Soldiers Grove Library Director Sarah Di Padova and SG Library Board President Maura Otis.

The public libraries in Soldiers Grove, Gays Mills, and Prairie du Chien have officially met their match—and then some.

Through a yearlong campaign ending June 30, 2025, the three libraries partnered with the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin (CFSW) and the Schlecht Family Foundation to establish permanent endowment funds to support ongoing library programming, operations, and maintenance. Each library was challenged to raise a minimum of $3,750, which would be tripled through a generous matching grant from the Schlecht Family Foundation, resulting in a base endowment of $11,250 per library.

Not only did all three libraries reach their fundraising goals—some exceeded them. In a further show of community support, the Soldiers Grove and Gays Mills libraries received an unexpected boost: an anonymous donor pledged an additional $11,250 to each of those libraries once they reached the original match goal. With the second matching grant it brought the total endowment amount for both libraries to $45,000. In addition, the Gays Mills had raised an extra $1,000.

“This is a huge milestone,” said Gays Mills Library Director David Gibbs. “It shows just how much our communities value their libraries—not just for today, but for the long term.”

The endowments, managed by CFSW, will provide stable, ongoing support for vital library services in a time when federal funding is increasingly uncertain.

“We’re deeply grateful to everyone who contributed,” said Soldiers Grove Library Director Sarah Di Padova. “You’ve made an investment in the future of literacy, education, and community connection in Crawford County. These gifts will keep giving for generations to come.”

For more information about supporting your local library endowment, contact your local library or visit www.cfsw.org.

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