Lake Butler Community Page News Tidbits

By Mary Brown

The Union County Public Library is starting a new year with a building makeover. With the help of some amazing volunteers, the library’s exterior has been repainted. Volunteers John Gilroy and Don Stacy – both retirees from Walmart Corporation. Also, helping out is current Walmart Associate, Harold “Rusty” Bush (see photos below). These volunteers spent time applying a fresh coat of paint to the exterior of the library. John Gilroy started volunteering at the library 10 years ago as a Walmart employee where he earned hundreds of service hours. His many hours of service ultimately resulted in Walmart rewarding community grant funds to the library. Gilroy’s dedication to the library continues to this day despite him being retired from the Walmart Corporation. Rusty Bush now follows in John’s footsteps as a regular Walmart community volunteer at the Union County Library. “The time and talent these volunteers give to the library is invaluable. The Walmart Foundation grant is a nice bonus!” states Mary Brown, Library Director.

Another area within the  library that has received some sprucing up is the library’s newly remodeled reading room. A local donor gifted a rare and beautiful Florida pioneer bronze sculpture called “Get Behind!” by artist Mitchell Kolbe. The room remodel included framing and crown molding, a large solid maple custom bookcase, new furniture, an oriental style rug and more. Today, this comfortable room continues to hold the library’s genealogy and reference collection, while providing an inviting place for library patrons to relax and read.