By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
The Allegan County Community Foundation’s Third Annual Day of Giving—known as Allegan County Gives—is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19.
And the Otsego District Library is one of the organizations that stands to benefit from the generosity of the local community.
Any donations made to the library’s Irene Galloway Endowment Fund on March 19 will be subject to a match by the Allegan County Community Foundation.
The match is part of ACCF’s celebration of its 60th anniversary, with a total of $60,000 available in matching funds for Allegan County Gives.
The matching funds will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a limit of $5,000 per individual donor and $10,000 per organization.
“This special event is all about connecting people with causes that make a difference in Allegan County, encouraging them to give their time, talent, and treasure to the organizations they care about most,” ACCF said in a release.
To be eligible for the matching funds, donations to the Irene Galloway Endowment Fund can be made online on March 19 at www.alleganfoundation.org/donate.
Donations can also be mailed to: ACCF, 112 Locust St, Allegan, MI 49010 with “Otsego Library” written on the memo line. Mailed donations must be postmarked March 19 or earlier.
As part of Allegan County Gives, ACCF is also hosting an in-person Volunteer Fair at The Silo in Allegan on March 19 from 12 to 2 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to bring this event to life once again and can’t wait to see the impact we’ll create together,” ACCF said in its statement.
The Irene Galloway Endowment Fund, which supports the operations and services of the Otsego District Library, was established in November 1999 in honor of longtime library patron, supporter and board member Irene Galloway.
“A lifelong resident of the Otsego area, Irene and her family truly recognized the value of the public library within the Otsego community,” reads a description on the library’s website. “Her public service for the library began in 1974 as an appointed board representative from Otsego Township.
“She retired from her board position in October 1999, after having served the library for more than 25 years.”
The library honored Irene with the establishment of the endowment fund in her name in November 1999 at a special board meeting and the Otsego Friends of the Library made a special gift to initiate the fund.
“Her smile and warm appreciation for the honor let everyone know that evening of her satisfaction in receiving it,” the library’s statement said.
In its first year of Allegan County Gives, ACCF’s $10,000 match helped 19 partner agencies receive $22,915. Last year, the community rallied, raising nearly $45,000—met with an increased $30,000 match from ACCF.
