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July 31, 2014
Plymouth library plans $1 million renovation
Student radio station nominated for national honor
B
ELLEVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
The Salvation Army in part-
nership Van Buren School
District, Open Arms Lutheran
Church, Trinity Episcopal
Church and the First United
Methodist Church of Belleville
will host a “Back to School Blitz”
school supply drive from 1-4 p.m.
on Aug. 24. The drive seeks to
collect new school supplies and
backpacks for Belleville students
K-12.
Volunteers will be at Trinity
Episcopal Church, 11575
Belleville Road, east of I-94 to
accept donations. The supplies
will then be sorted and packed
into backpacks for distribution to
families on Tuesday, Aug. 26 at
TheSalvationArmy inPlymouth.
Belleville, Van Buren and
Sumpter families needing assis-
tance should call The Salvation
Army at (734) 453.5464 for an
appointment. Proof of residency
and household income as well as
identification for all children at
the time of the appointment.
Needed supplies include new
backpacks, particularly for older
students, binders, supply
cases/bags, colored pencils,
markers, wide ruled paper and 1-
subject notebooks, highlighters,
pens (red, black and blue), round-
ed-tip scissors, #2 pencils, rulers,
glue bottles, glue sticks, composi-
tionbooks and folders.
Monetary gifts will be used to
purchase Payless gift cards that
will be distributed to each child
so they can purchase new school
shoes.
“We are seeing and hearing of
clients returning to work, albeit
at a much lower rate or at
reduced hours. We also know
that many continue to struggle as
unemployment benefits run out
or as folks accept pay cuts to
maintain their jobs. Preparing
kids to go back to school can be
very expensive so this is a practi-
cal way to support our families
and students as they return to
school,” said Laurie Aren, direc-
tor of family and communitymin-
istries at The Salvation Army
PlymouthCorps.
“If your family is experiencing
a financial hardship, please call
us. This is such a generous com-
munity and there is no need for
any child to go back to school
without a backpack and new
school supplies,” she added.
Last year, of the 350 children
registered for the program, 128
were fromBelleville and the rest
from Plymouth, Canton and
Northville. Each of the children
received a new back pack with
school supplies and a $25 gift
card to purchase new shoes. The
school supplies remaining after
the distribution date were given
directly to Van Buren and
Plymouth Canton schools for dis-
tribution to schools where the
needwas the greatest, Aren said.
Volunteers are also needed to
help sort and pack school sup-
plies on Aug. 25 and distribute
school supplies on Aug. 26.
Volunteers should contact Sandy
Kollinger at (734) 453-5464 or
email her at Sandra_kollinger
@usc.salvationarmy.org.
The 1,000 visitors each day at
the Plymouth District Library
will soon notice some changes at
the facility.
According to Library Director
Carol Souchock, more than $1
million in repairs will soon be
under way at the 17-year-old
building, located in downtown
Plymouth.
“A number of large opera-
tional building components-the
roof, the heating ventilation and
air conditioning system and the
entrance snow melt system all
require replacement,” she
explained.
“Steady wear and tear on this
building, along with recent harsh
winter conditions have brought
these important building ele-
ments to the end of their lives.”
Initial repair costs have been
estimated at $1,100,000 and will
be paid from the library building
reserve and fund balance. Funds
have been set aside in prepara-
tion for expected facility repairs
and replacement of major
mechanical systems, Souchock
explained. McCarthy & Smith
Construction of Farmington Hills
was awarded the construction
management contract by the
library board of trustees at the
July meeting. Ronald A. Cieslak,
RA from Merritt Cieslak Design
of Northville was chosen as the
architect for the project.
“We know the value that this
community places on the
library,” saidMike Pappas, chair-
man of the library board. “It is
our job to make sure that the
building can serve the public effi-
ciently and safely.”
Souchock said that about 1,000
people visit the library each day
and that more than 34,000 people
utilized the meeting rooms and
attended programs last year. She
said that energy efficiencies and
savings are expected through the
updated systems and roof
replacement. She said that the
mechanical and architectural
design will take place this sum-
mer and that the renovations will
begin early next year with the
roof replacement scheduled for
the spring of 2015.
The PlymouthDistrict Library
has been serving the Plymouth
community since 1923 and has
been at the Main Street location
since 1945. The present building
was constructed in 1997 and an
expansion to the unfinished
upper level completed in 2007,
Souchock said.
The student-operated radio
station of the Plymouth Canton
School District is a finalist for the
National
Association
of
Broadcasters Marconi Radio
Award for Non-Commercial
Station of the Year, according to
StationManager Bill Keith.
The Marconi awards were cre-
ated in 1989 and are named for
inventor and Nobel Prize winner
Guglielmo Marconi. The awards
recognize stations and individuals
for excellence and performance
in 21 categories and are among
the most prestigious in the broad-
cast industry.
88.1 The Park is the only high
school radio station to receive a
nomination and one of only two
student stations to be nominated.
“We are honored to be includ-
ed among so many great radio sta-
tions and legendary announcers,”
said Annie Willman, program
director at the station. “Being a
finalist recognizes the dedication
and hard work of our staff mem-
bers.”
The awards will be presented
Sept. 11 at the awards 25th
anniversary
dinner
in
Indianapolis.
“Our students are thankful for
the support the Plymouth-Canton
Community Schools, the board of
education, administrators and
staff,” Keith said. “We've been part
of the community for over 40 years
because of their commitment”.
If your family is experiencing
a financial hardship, please call us.
”
Salvation Army plans ‘Back to School Blitz’