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Several weeks ago, a small group of women got together to do something absolutely spectacular for their community. Corrina Withrow, Michelle DeHosse, Michelle Parnell, Rachelle Withrow, Sabrina Bowen, Matti Gruzs, and Carol Provan teamed up with many local residents, business owners, and friends of the library to steamroll through traditional methods and crush their fundraising goal of $15,000 to save the Monongahela Area Library in only 6 short weeks.

EQT presents the Monongahela Public Library with a check for $10,000 as part of the library’s ongoing fundraising efforts.

The Borough of New Eagle and their fire department really stepped up to the plate, doubling their $2,000 contribution with an additional $2,000 check presented by Mayor Chas Fine and councilmen Jack Fine and Jim Ferguson. New Eagle VFD also graciously loaned their social hall for the group's second spaghetti dinner, as the first dinner overflowed The Twist, another helpful New Eagle business. Councilman Jim Ferguson also matched funds donated by 10-year-old Kenny Cadwallader. Big thanks to them all for finding a few extra dollars in their tight budget.

Additional thanks go out to many others who donated their time, money and resources, including Stefano Nowo of Italian Village Pizza, Benny Fisher of Big Fish Contracting, and Chad DeSantis of The Original New Eagle and Mon City Scoop Page, as well as many others who helped with the dinners. Stefano was also on hand to catch a photo with Chuck David, pizza-eating champion throughout several weeks of all-you-can eat-pizza nights at IVP, which brought in over $1,500. So many members of the community helped out that there are more than could possibly be listed.

With the thermometer set at $11,000, just $4,000 short of the original goal, they brought out the big surprise. Representatives from EQT were on hand with a great big check for $10, 000, nearly double what the group had worked so hard to raise. A sense of community pride filled the room.

Later that evening, the Awards Dinner at Monongahela Elks Lodge #455 honored several members of the community, and Elks National Foundation grants were awarded to several community organizations, one of which happened to be the Monongahela Area Library, putting a $1,500 cherry on top of the celebration and bringing the total up to $22,500!