What started with a group of parents looking to raise money to renovate the 50-year-old library at Withers Elementary, is turning into a reality.
Almost two years ago the parents decided to take on a two-year capital project to raise $70,000 for the library, and school activist, Elizabeth Garrison is making sure the project unfolds by June.
Garrison says for the past six years the school has received more children from the neighborhood as parents decide to enroll them in public instead of private schooling. At the school’s annual auction parents and community members have donated more than $70,000 a year, which helps pay for resources DISD cannot.
“Withers Elementary has been blessed with the generosity of many families. The funds raised at our auctions have provided teachers with additional training, technology, and needed classroom resources. But after three years of successful auctions, I decided we were ready to take on a large capital project. And what is more important than investing in the nucleus of the school – the library!” says Garrison via email.
The library fund currently sits at $50,000 by donations from families, grants from the Northaven Park Neighborhood Association, MetroTex Association of Realtors, Halo Group Realty and the Amanda Pivnick Fund. Now Withers needs $20,000 more to finish the project.
“My favorite part of the story is when I called a random architect to get his input, back in July 2011. I left him a babbling message about my vision and my phone number. Ten minutes later he called me back and said, ‘Well this is your lucky day. Because I am a former graduate of Withers Elementary and I’d love to take on this project for free!’ “Everytime I tell that part of the story, I want to cry,” says Garrison via email.
The architects is Jeffrey Miller with WRA Architects, Dallas ISD has also given Withers a project manager to help keep everything in order.
To make a donation write a check payable to “Withers PTO – Library Fund” and mail to:
Withers Elementary
c/o Chris Adcox
3959 Northaven Rd
Dallas, TX 75229
Here are renderings of what the new Withers library will look like:
