La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

The La Conner community is positioning itself to shape its long-term future in two tremendous ways.

Two weeks ago, over 250 people came together downtown under a white tent for the Museum of Northwest Art’s annual auction.

Saturday, 145 even happier people, if possible, joined in Maple Hall, fundraising for the new library.

MoNA needs a new roof and a heating and air conditioning system. The library will build a new building. These projects will shape La Conner’s physical and social infrastructure for decades to come.

From toddler to elder, every resident and visitor – and the town itself – will benefit when these projects are complete.

MoNA is both a historical and contemporary statement of the importance of fine arts to 20th century La Conner’s DNA.

Nancy Pearle’s words, “A community without a great public library is a community without a heart,” are absolutely correct. Even in our modern age, libraries offer refuge and joy to anyone walking through their doors.

As heartfelt as this editorial’s words are, they are relatively cheap. As much money as the Weekly News donates, the amount is relatively small.

For the library, the one-year clock is ticking for tapping the $500,000 grant given by the Legislature.

MoNA’s roof needs replacement this year.

As much as writing checks for these two critical institutions is needed, your helping opening doors for larger checks from your employer or Skagit Valley institutions you have a relationship with is needed more.

Doing all we can for these La Conner cornerstones requires us to ask for help from others.

I am asking.