Boxes pay tribute to book lover
EVANS CITY — Her friends want Stella Neely and her love of reading to remembered in Evans City.
So, it was fitting that two new Little Free Libraries were installed last week at EDCO Park by her friends from her church, St. John's United Church of Christ, 501 E. Main St.
There are two library boxes mounted on posts near the park pool.
The box on the shorter pole holds children's books and games, and the taller library is geared to material for young adult to adult readers.
Amy Rubinosky, St. John's consistory member and leader of the library project, said, “We discussed the planning last fall but we didn't start until renovation of the pool was completed.”
Fellow church member Steve Umpirowicz built the two 12-by-20-by-30-inch boxes in a week.
“They were built to Little Library specifications They're roofed with corrugated plastic I had at home. There was some leftover wood from the park sign. I used that to make the posts.”
“Stella's Book Nook” lettering was added to the plexiglass fronts of the library boxes.
Rubinosky said, “Stella brought the idea into a consistory meeting, and we decided to build it.”
Umpirowicz said, “Amy and myself and consistory president Nancy Miller worked on the project. Stella was very good at delegating the work.
“Stella suggested putting them at the pool,” said Umpirowicz.Unfortunately, Neely died in the spring before she could see her idea brought to reality, but her fellow church members completed the project on behalf of the longtime Evans City Post Office employee.Rubinosky said, “In March, our church started a book drive. They were bringing books to church. They were bringing books to where I worked.”She said the little libraries seem to be popular.“I've been checking. The adult books was almost empty. But anyone can donate and anyone can take a book,” she said. She plans to check on the boxes every other day or so and restock them from the large supply of donated books she still has on hand.She added a community donor has given $500 for a reading bench to be bought and set up near the Little Libraries in honor of Stella Neely.
Umpirowicz and Rubinosky said the book nooks serve two purposes: as a fitting memorial to their late friend and her love of reading and as another way for their church to serve its community.Umpirowicz said the Book Nooks will be placed on the Little Free Library registry.Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that seeks to inspire a love of reading, build community and spark creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world.
