Taylor Public Library holds bottle drive fundraiser

TAYLOR, B.C. — The Taylor Public Library is hoping to raise at least $6,000 through a bottle drive for its programming. 

According to a Facebook post on the library’s page, the library said it needs the community’s help to keep programs going strong. 

Sherry Murphy, the library’s director, said that due to this year’s budget cuts, it has been hard for the library to find grants. 

She said, “We are looking for funds to try and keep our programs going.” 

“It’s an easy way for people to donate, they normally [have] bottles that they don’t want to deal with. Well, they can bring them to the library and we will deal with them.” 

The library, Murphy said, is trying to raise anywhere between $5,000 and $6,000 toward its programming budget alone. 

“Our budget in total was cut, probably about $60,000. We can’t expect to get that much out of bottles, but at least if we can find [money] for the programs… that would be an awesome amount, [to] try to keep our programs going,” Murphy added. 

The library’s programming includes youth clubs and a seniors group, which has a teacher who teaches chair yoga. 

She said, “It costs us money, but it is free to them.” 

Although the library has received just one donation so far, Murphy anticipates that people are stocking up on bottles. 

“I’ve got some at home, which I can bring in and I do have a bag of bottles here at the library, we’ve just accumulated over the years we’ve been here,” she said. 

The library also has an account with FSJ Return It, located on 93 Ave in Fort St. John. People interested in donating can bring in a bag of bottles and do the easy return with a label. 

“We have labels here at the library as well; they can just pick up and then they just put it on the bags of bottles, and then they can just drop them off…[the money] just goes into our account,” Murphy added. 

Murphy hopes to run this drive for the rest of the year and donations can be made during opening hours.

Donations at the FSJ Return It can be made during its opening hours.