Keokuk Rotary Club Partners with the Library Foundation to Provide Benches for the Library Park

The block where the Keokuk Public Library is located has undergone some major changes in the last two years. Although work on the library park has slowed during the pandemic, more change is on the way as work continues to create a public library park with multiple areas for patrons and residents to use and enjoy.

Along with many local foundations and civic groups, the Keokuk Rotary Club has assisted in the efforts to enhance the reading and sculpture garden of the new library park.

With generous help from a matching District 6000 Rotary Grant the Keokuk Rotary Club commissioned and purchased four custom-built benches for the reading and sculpture garden of the new public library park.

The Keokuk Rotary Club and the Keokuk Library Foundation worked cooperatively to utilize the talents of metal sculptor, Mark Stanley of River City Anvil.  Stanley, whose work appears at Victory Park, the Rand Park Pavilion, and other locations, created a custom-design for the bench-back depicting an open book.

Joyce Taylor, president of the Rotary Club and Tom Seabold, member of the Public Library Foundation, met with Stanley on several occasions to hammer out the design and details of the benches.

One of the benches is currently on display in the back foyer of the Keokuk Public Library, and all four benches will be placed in or near the library park reading area once the area has been sufficiently prepared.

According to Taylor, “The partnership between the two organizations has been productive and will benefit the community.”

The donation of these customized benches to the Keokuk Library Park helps celebrate the Keokuk Rotary Club’s 100^th anniversary this year as the club also partners with other organizations for community service projects throughout the year.