The Stanley-Boyd English Department recently participated in Forward Bank’s $1K School Pride Video Contest and won their department $2,000.

Local high school departments were encouraged to create short videos sharing their school pride. Several schools submitted videos, including Columbus Catholic, Greenwood, Marshfield, Medford, Phillips, Owen-Withee and Stanley-Boyd. The top videos in each community received $1,000 and were included in a community vote to potentially double their prize money. The English Department received the most votes.

Chloe Mossbrucker submitted a video on behalf of the Stanley-Boyd English Department. “These funds will be used to purchase books for our individual classroom libraries,” states Mossbrucker, “An updated classroom library is a high concentration of diverse, engaging, and age-appropriate

See AWARD MONEY, Page 2

From left to right are: Sara Kallstrom, Chloe Mossbrucker, Delani Mercier, Samantha Kobs, and Kayleigh Steinmetz. Submitted photo. AWARD MONEY

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texts that the students can quickly and easily browse. Having these books within reach for students is imperative.”

“We did not want to miss the opportunity to support our schools, even though we wouldn’t have the opportunity to be there in-person like we normally are,” commented Andrea Hazard, Office Manager at Forward Bank in Stanley-Boyd. “This video contest was created to support our students during a time when departments and clubs may have difficulty fundraising due to COVID-19 restrictions.”

Forward Bank is a customer-owned, independent community bank who operates to benefit its depositors while offering no fee deposit options, lower lending fees and rates. The Bank continues to be community-orientated by proudly supporting local clubs, businesses, sports, organizations, and schools.

Forward Bank currently has offices in Colby, Greenwood, Marshfield, Medford, Park Falls, Phillips, Stanley, Thorp, Withee. For more information, please visit www.forward.bank.

STANLEY LIBRARY RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT MEANT FOR SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES

Our own D.R. Moon Memorial Public Library has been selected as one of 200 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities. Library Director, Elizabeth Miniatt, and Outreach Librarian, Colleen Danielson, wrote and applied for the grant, being one of more than 300 applicants, according to ALA.

The competitive award comes with a $3,000 grant that will help the library continue and expand its initiative to bridge the digital divide in our area through the OREO (Offering Remote Educational Opportunities) project. With the increase in remote schooling and work, the community is in great need of reliable internet and digital access. This grant will help fund mobile hotspots and iPads that community members can check-out from the library to bring the internet to where they live.

“We are so proud and excited to be chosen for this opportunity,” said Library Director, Elizabeth Miniatt. “This grant, along with the others we have received, will allow our library to serve our community more effectively and help us build a happier and healthier environment for our families.”

As part of the grant, D.R. Moon Memorial Library staff will take an online course in leading community conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will continue to focus on facilitating conversations with residents about the digital access issues they face and use the grant funds to address those issues in whatever ways possible.

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact the library staff at [email protected] org, 715-644-2004, or visit stanleylibrary.org for more information.

Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).