Several officials helped cut the ribbon for the new North Jefferson-Blount Regional Library on Aug. 16. On the stage is Brooks Baker, a member of the library foundation and director of the library construction project. On the floor from left are: Warrior City Council members Johnny Ragland and Jerry Bailey; Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-51st; Jefferson County Circuit Judge Tom King; Warrior Mayor Rena Hudson; Warrior City Councilman James Jett; Morris Mayor Craig Drummonds; and Kimberly Mayor Sam Maze.

By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



Several communities pulled together recently to kick off the North Jefferson-Blount Regional Library.

Officials from the North Jefferson-Blount Public Library Foundation hosted a fund-raiser and ribbon cutting for the library on Aug. 16. The event was held at the future site of the library — the former National Guard armory on Cane Creek Road in Warrior.

The foundation raised almost $24,000 in contributions and sales during the event, according to Anne Jolly, a member of the library foundation.

The contributions included $3,500 from Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-51st, and $10,000 from Cullman-Jefferson Gas.

Jolly said the communities of Warrior, Morris, Kimberly, Hayden, Corner and Trafford are working together to raise the almost $2 million needed for the library.

The fund-raiser was “a testimony to the cooperative spirit of citizens across these communities,” said Jolly.

On hand at the kickoff and ribbon cutting was officials from the cities of Warrior, Kimberly and Morris. Also present was Rep.

Allen Treadaway, R-51st, and Jefferson County Circuit Judge Tom King.

In addition, merchants from Warrior, Hayden, Morris, Kimberly, Trafford and Corner donated items for an auction.

The Warrior Lions Club helped raise funds also, by cooking for the event and donating all proceeds to the library foundation.

Jolly said that about 500 people attended the fund-raising event.

There was plenty to do, with food, drawings for prizes and music by local groups Triple Commitment and the Blue Grass Jammers, which perform at the Gardendale Senior Center.

Also present at the fund-raiser were renderings of the new library by Joel Blackstock of Williams-Blackstock Architects.

Jolly said that Blackstock donated his services for the feasibility study and the renderings.

The new library will take the place of the current Warrior Public Library, headed up by Faye Pugh.

Pugh said she would “be lost” in such a huge new library. The current library is 1,800 square feet, while the new one will be more than seven times larger, at 14,000 square feet.

The library foundation is still collecting donations of time, effort or funds for the new library.

To learn more, write to the North Jefferson-Blount Library Foundation at P.O. Box 669, Warrior, AL, 35180 or call Linda Taylor at (205) 647-3506 or Anne Jolly (205) 590-4909.