Community Library holds first open house

Tea Area Community Foundation Treasurer Margaret Larsen (middle) presents a check for a $600 grant to two part-time Tea Area Community Library employees. The grant money went to costs for the library open house, as well as a pupeteer for the library’s summer reading program. Photo: Courtesy of Margeret Larsen

By Garrett Ammesmaki,

Editor

The Tea Area Community Library held their first open house last weekend after they were forced to stay closed over COVID.

Though their doors have been open for a while, the Saturday event was an attempt to remind the community and draw more attention to the library.

Head Librarian Gayla Wipf said the October 29 open house was well attended, and guests were treated to some snacks and several door prizes.

Prizes included a surf tablet, skull candy wireless earbuds, wireless over-ear headphones, a portable charger, $50 Fareway gift card, $25 Lauriebelles gift card, and a book series from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

The door prizes and other event expenses were covered by a $600 grant from the Tea Area Community Foundation. A portion of the grant also went toward a puppeteer for the library’s summer reading program.

“The purpose of the foundations is to improve the lives of the people in the community and we feel that reading is a very important part of that,” said TACF Treasurer Margaret Larson. “Anything we can do to help get people to read is something we’re interested in.”

The foundation accepts applications for grants every year and awards them in April. This past year, they awarded nine grants including one for the Tea Area High School’s agricultural program, Lincoln County 4-H for a bread making class, Lincoln County Fairgrounds for a new construction project, Trinity Lutheran Church for their monthly food drive, the T-Link community group for their Spring community-wide cleanup and dodgeball tournament, the Tea Veterans Memorial and the Tea Area Schools for junior achievement.

Their next fundraiser will be from 5 pm to 8 pm on November 14 at the Pizza Ranch in Tea.

For anyone who is interested in getting involved with the foundation, they can reach TACF President Eric Saugstad at (605)270-2614, online at www.sfacf/tea or by mail at Tea Area Community Foundation PO Box 153 Tea, SD 57064.

The Tea Community Library is open from 3:30 pm to 7 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday. It is located in the Tea Area High School at 500 W. Brian St. They can be reached at (605) 498-0281.