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Port Carling has a new library with a new
name – ‘The Norma and Miller Alloway Muskoka Lakes
Library’. The new name and many of the extra features of
the new library are a result of a “significant financial
donation to the new municipal library from Graham and Kara
Alloway, in honour of Mr. Alloway’s parents, Norma and
Miller Alloway,” a news release from May/01 states. More
details mentioned below about the donation are borrowed from
that release.
The donation provided funds to furnish and decorate the
interior of the library, landscape the grounds, and automate
the collection. Aesthetic aspects of the building, such as
the tower and the cedar shingles — which had been cut
due to budget constraints — were also made possible with
funds from the Alloway Trust.
"It is in
recognition of my parents’ Christian philanthropic
heritage that we have gladly contributed to the funding of
the library," says Graham Alloway. "Kara and I are
honoured to have the Muskoka Lakes Library bear the name of
my parents."
Norma and Miller Alloway
shared a passion to support a wide range of Christian
causes, as well as a number of hospitals and medical
facilities around the world. Norma and Miller Alloway were
lifetime, all-season residents of Muskoka. Both valued
education and learning.
Norma Alloway was the
author of a best-selling book called "Join Us for
Coffee" (1981), which was followed by a second book,
"Listening." She also contributed to newspapers,
magazines and other publications. Many people in Muskoka
will remember her regular column in the Muskoka
Sun, "The Ponder Box," written on
inspirational themes.
Miller Alloway was
initially employed in the newspaper business with his
father, who owned the Oshawa Times. Ultimately Miller Alloway’s business grew to include
a number of printing, publishing and related companies
throughout North America.
With the Alloway Trust
donation, the library board was able to raise most of the
funds needed in the Capital Campaign. "We are
enormously grateful to the Alloway Foundation, and to Graham
and Kara Alloway, for this generous gift," said Beth
Samuel, chair of the Muskoka Lakes Library Board.
The new building boasts a Muskoka theme in the décor,
accommodates the library’s entire collection, (much of
which had been in storage throughout the building process)
and services a broader area, with patrons coming from Minett,
Bala, Windermere and other areas of Muskoka.
The official opening was
last August, but the new facilities weren’t really
available until mid-September, which means many of the
area’s summer residents will get their first look at this
impressive addition to Port Carling this coming summer.
For more information on
this new library and the Alloways go to http://www.muskoka.com/library/library2.htm
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