Goal raised for Wadena-Deer Creek school library drive; matching donation announced

WADENA, Minn. – The effort to replenish books at the Wadena-Deer Creek school library set a new goal Wednesday and received a boost toward reaching it.

Loni Niles, Wadena-Deer Creek media specialist, said $8,875 of the $10,000 initial goal had been raised by Wednesday morning, with three weeks of the six-week campaign still to go. Because of the early success, the goal was raised to $15,000.

Niles said the June 17 tornado destroyed 7,000 books in the high school media center, about half of the total collection.

“This is a very tangible way of helping the students of WDC schools,” Niles said. “Everyone uses the media center. People have been asking how they can help, and this is a way to help.”

On Thursday, the Wadena Pioneer Journal, and its parent company, Forum Communications Co., donated $3,000 in matching funds toward the new goal. For every dollar raised, the newspaper company will give a dollar until the $15,000 goal is reached.

“Our motto is ‘giving information life,’ so a campaign to put reading materials back into the hands of Wadena-Deer Creek school children fits our mission perfectly,” said Lloyd Case, president and chief operating officer of Forum Communications Co.

“We felt a higher goal — and our pledge to help attain it — was appropriate for this fund drive,” said Steve Schulz, the Pioneer Journal’s publisher and editor. “We want to see Wadena not just rebuilt, but better than before. This is our way of helping.”

“Wadena has been important to our newspaper family for a long time,” said Dennis Winskowski, group publisher. “When the tornado hit, we knew we needed to help. This school drive seemed like a great way to lend a hand.”

Donations can be made by going to www.funds4books.com and typing in the code 2e65, or by mailing a check to the WDC Library Fund at Wadena-Deer Creek Schools, 215 Colfax Ave. SW, Wadena, MN 56482.

Donations in both locations will be matched until the $15,000 goal is reached. Most of the funding had come directly to the school as of this week.

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The Wadena Pioneer Journal and the Echo Press are owned by Forum Communications Company.

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