The Center: Colfax Downtown Association $500 donation brings project closer to finish

Downtown Association President Kimberley DeHart, Colfax Unified Executive Director Valoree Gregory, Associate Director of the Library Peggy Bryan and Library Director Kristie Kirkpatrick pose with the $500 check donated to The Betty Steiger Center at the library here by the Colfax Downtown Association. Photo courtesy of Valoree Gregory.

The Colfax Downtown Association last week donated $500 to The Betty Steiger Center at the Whitman County Library. The money will go toward continuing renovation costs of the building.

According to a press release for the donation, the funds were gathered at a Wine and Beer tasting event during Winterfest at the Secure Shred building on Main Street.

“We know it isn't a huge amount, but we wanted to try and help in any way we could,” Kimberley DeHart, Downtown Association president, said in a statement.

According to the press release, changes in the next month “will complete the two main community rooms, add an alley exit door and complete much of the building's infrastructure.” Library Director Kristie Kirkpatrick added that included in this phase is framing for restrooms, but the restrooms will not be completed until the next phase. She said receiving the donation was great.

“The timing was perfect,” she said. “The fundraiser happened quite some time ago, and Kim was sorry she couldn't get the check to us sooner, but the timing was great because we'd started work on the next phase of the project and were very close on having all the funds we need to complete this phase.”

Kirkpatrick said the current phase is exciting, but also has challenges.

“It's progress. I'm so excited,” she said. “We are without the use of the rooms right now, so we're really crowded and overflowing.”

Kirkpatrick said anticipated completion of the current phase is the end of May or early June, at which time The Center will re-open. Kirkpatrick added the next phase will be to finish the restrooms and the last phase will be to finish the remaining third of the room.

Kirkpatrick also noted recent donations from the Don Steiger Memorial and Thrifty Grandmothers Club.

“Those were both really major and really allowed us to move forward,” she said.