Summerside Library Launches With Innovative Social Media Fundraising

 
The Rotary Club of Summerside is underway with a major project, creation of the Rotary Regional Community Learning Centre in Summerside, PEI.  As part of their fund raising efforts the club is using Social media to attempt to gain wide support.

"This space will provide an excellent venue for an expanded Regional Library, programming, and supports for literacy, numeracy, e-learning, entrepreneurial education and a host of other needs not currently being met in a satisfactory way," - Georgia Ellis, Rotary Club of Summerside President.

We have acquired the former federal building at our 57 Central Street in downtown Summerside and with financial support from ACOA in the form of an $800,000 contribution from the Innovative Communities Fund, we are working smart to make this community development a successful, signature project for Rotary.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/new-summerside-learning-centre-gets-800k-from-acoa-1.3169148
 
As part of our efforts a group of Rotarians and others, The Friends of Summerside Rotary Library, have entered the Aviva Community Fund challenge. To be successful, our entry needs supporters to vote on the Aviva website and we need to bring out as many people as we can to carry the day. The judges are counting votes and also looking to social media to see which projects can build momentum and demonstrate the collaboration of whole communities. It is our great hope that with your help, we can circulate this message to all the clubs in our Rotary District 7820 and bring out support for this excellent Rotary initiative, both on social media and in the vote.
 
Allow me to share a story from my perspective, hearing it for the first time from long-time Rotarian and member of our Summerside Club, Gerard Greenan.
 
When the military base closed in Summerside, 1989, many community projects were postponed or cancelled. Our Rotary Club of Summerside quickly adopted one of the biggest projects - turning the abandoned railway station at 192 Water Street into a much-needed regional library. Within six months, our club and community raised $432,000 in donations and pledges for renovations and the purchase of computer equipment. The project was a tremendous success.
 
The library service, books, stacks and staff was administered by the Province while the Friends of the Rotary Regional Library held some of the proceeds of fundraising on deposit and used those funds for ongoing maintenance and upkeep. Later, the maintenance and upkeep of the property was turned over, along with the deed, to the City of Summerside. Throughout this process and on an ongoing basis, the Friends put their funds to work in support of additional learning modules, supplemental materials and programming at the library.
 
Fast forward to today, as our Rotary Club of Summerside embarks on a major fundraising project in support of the Rotary Regional Community Learning Centre at 57 Central Street. The building and renovations are the focus of our fundraising efforts and the Province will continue to provide books, stacks and staff for the library service. Once again, the Friends are working on funding for learning modules, supplemental materials and additional programming. 

To make the Rotary Regional Community Learning Centre the best it can be, the Friends are going for a big win with the Aviva Community Fund (ACF). At stake is $100,000 to the winner and the Friends need the support of everyone in the community to make this happen. To be one of the winners of the ACF, the project needs to get more votes than the other projects. To be eligible to vote, you need to register. Please register right away at:

https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/register
 
The competition takes place Oct. 6 through 23rd and each registered voter can vote once per day. Please share the call for support of the Rotary Regional Community Learning Centre to others and show your direct support by visiting the project page and VOTING at:

https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf32650
 
It's on Facebook! For our Facebook users, please like and share. Don't forget to register and vote each day:

https://www.facebook.com/The-Friends-of-the-Rotary-Regional-Library-1664014257171453
 
With your support daily for 18 days, we give the services at our new Learning Centre a big boost. Add a daily event to your smart phone calendar, it only takes a minute. Our Rotary Club, the citizens of Summerside and all the communities in our region are most grateful.
 
To learn more, please visit our project page at:

https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf32650
 
Yours in Rotary,
Chris Willcock, Secretary
Rotary Club of Summerside